Emergency Closed Session

Howell County News received notice at approximately 1:15 p.m. on March 22 of a change to the agenda of the special meeting taking place that day at 5:30 p.m. The last-minute addition was a vote to enter a closed session.

Missouri Sunshine Laws require notice of a closed session to be published with 24 hours’ notice, except in cases of emergencies. 

The amended agenda referenced RMSo 610.021 (3), but did not specifically list which exception merited the closed session. These exceptions are limited to hiring, firing, promoting, or disciplining employees and legal and real estate transactions. 

Mountain View Mayor Donnie Pruett confirmed in a phone interview on March 24 that topic was the "discipline" of a city employee. 

“I thought it could wait,” Pruett said, referring to whether or not the agenda change constituted an emergency. 

“[Aldermen Punkie Stevenson and Laura Wagner] thought it was. I didn’t,” Pruett explained. “They went over me.”

Draft minutes of this closed session confirm “personnel” was discussed. These minutes also record a motion made by Alderman John Krasuski to Mayor Pruett and Mayor Pro-tem Punkie Stevenson to meet with a city employee to discuss disciplinary issues. The motion passed by unanimous vote. 

 

Another Special Meeting Monday

The City released notice of another special meeting that will take place after press time on Monday, March 28 at 5:30 p.m.

The first item on the agenda of this meeting reads, “Alderwoman Wagner and Alderman Stevenson to discuss noncompliance of an agreement that occurred in closed session.” 

Alderwoman Wagner is listed as sponsoring all the remaining items on the agenda for this meeting, and these include citizen property concerns, amendment of the golf course budget (co-sponsored with Alderman Stevenson), the contract and resolution relating to Beta Technologies, usage of city property, and contacting Apptegy alert system.