Code of Conduct for Mtn. View Officials Discussed Twice, No Action

The Board of Aldermen for the City of Mountain View discussed a code of conduct twice last week, ultimately taking no action. The Aldermen took up the subject of the mayor’s conduct under old business on March 14. Originally on the agenda for the regular February meeting, the line item was tabled due to Mayor Donnie Pruett’s absence. 

At regular March meeting, Alderwoman Laura Wagner discussed a complaint the aldermen received about the mayor’s behavior. According to the draft minutes of this meeting, the discussion was not “an attack on the mayor,” but Wagner said she wanted to address a complaint received from Howell County News about the mayor’s treatment of an employee in January.*

A member of the public present at the meeting, Cricket Anderson, asked the mayor why he could not speak to the reporter. As recorded in the minutes, Mayor Pruett said he “was not prepared to speak to her in person.” He “stands on his decision and wants to move on.”

Wagner took the opportunity to introduce the concept of a code of conduct for elected officials and committee members representing the City of Mountain View. 

A resolution approving a code of ethics and conduct for city council and board/commissions for the city was on the agenda of the special meeting on March 17. Alderwoman Wagner presented a draft of the code of conduct that she prepared with the guidance of the Missouri Municipal League.

Alderwoman Judi Colter objected to language in the draft that would govern the mayor and aldermen’s interactions with city employees and their access to records. Alderman John Krasuski agreed that the language should be changed. 

The board tabled the discussion of the code of conduct pending input and revisions from the aldermen. The document is slated to be reviewed during the regular April meeting as an item of old business. 

 

*Publisher’s note: I was not personally present at this meeting for family reasons. As owner and publisher of Howell County News and a member of the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce, I contacted three aldermen in January to advise them of an incident in which Mayor Pruett refused a scheduled interview, spoke to my employee belligerently, and refused to give further interviews to this news outlet. The afternoon of the incident, Ron Mendez, co-owner of the News, contacted Mayor Pruett to discuss Pruett’s treatment of our employee. The mayor ended the phone call unceremoniously.