Platte City mayor resigns unexpectedly, but will remain on ballot for upcoming election
Platte City Mayor Tony Paolillo resigned unexpectedly from his position at a Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday, but will remain on the ballot for the upcoming mayoral election.
After four years as mayor, Paolillo told aldermen and residents in a statement that he was resigning immediately due to alleged breaches of Missouri’s Sunshine Law by members of the board.
Because his resignation comes within eight weeks of the election, Paolillo will remain on the April 2 ballot. If elected, it would be his choice whether or not he accepts the position, according to the Platte County Board of Elections.
In a statement he read at the meeting, Paolillo accused Aldermen Dan Laxson and Steve Hoeger, who is also running for mayor in the upcoming election, of disregarding a previous board decision for the mayor to begin the search for an interim city administrator. Instead, Paolillo said Laxson and Hoeger later said at a meeting they had begun negotiations with a candidate, which included the pay rate and start date.
He also alleged that board members have conducted important city business over email rather than a public meeting, as required by law. Paolillo said aldermen seemed to have discussed issues in small groups ahead of meetings or strategized about upcoming agenda topics to later pass the items in open meetings.
Aldermen also tried to place items on meeting agendas without at least a 24 hour notice, and told Paolillo he was relying on technicalities when he objected, he said.
“I have tried over the last 3 months to protect you from yourself,” Paolillo said, addressing Hoeger, “and to protect the citizens of Platte City from your brand of closed-door government.
“You and I value the process differently,” Paolillo continued. “It appears that you see the procedural steps as obstacles in the road to be ran over or swerved around, I see them as guideposts to keep us on the right path.”
Hoeger said he and the board were surprised by Paolillo’s resignation but would do everything to ensure the continuity of government work and the betterment of the city.
“Our City, like other governments, is not perfect,” Hoeger wrote in a statement, “but it is my experience that this Board strives to keep the public fully informed of our actions, and is aware of its responsibilities under Missouri law. I cannot comment on Mr. Paolillo’s internal beliefs, but do not agree with his statements made during our session last evening.”
Hoeger said the city has faced setbacks and bad publicity in the last year, which he said pushed him to run for mayor. Platte City is in need of new leadership, he said, which can help heal divides in the city. He didn’t elaborate further on the problems.
“This will be my only statement regarding the situation,” Hoeger said. “All future responses will be in the form of my action as an elected official moving the city forward and healing from the divide caused this last year.”
Paolillo, who previously served as an alderman, urged the board to change its practices and thanked the community for his 16 years of service for the city.
“I encourage each of you to stay informed,” he said, “and to hold your elected officials accountable both at the ballot box, and throughout the year as they go about serving you.”
Alderman John Higgins, who serves as president of the Board of Aldermen, will take over as mayor in the interim, per city code.
