The scrambling in City Hall continues after our legal services team rejected the city's offer of a six month extension on their contract. Sitting around waiting for the city to find a replacement would do nothing positive for their firm's reputation. Cunningham, Vogel, and Rost has represented Wentzville through three administrations and now because two aldermen and the mayor don't like the advice of City Attorney, Paul Rost, they kicked them to the curb.
Aldermen Cheryl Kross, Sonya Shryock, and Mayor Guccione all have personal reasons for not wanting Rost as Wentzville's city attorney. I've underscored; personal, because each of these people created problems for themselves and rather than hire an attorney for themselves, they thought Rost should act as their private attorney. When Rost, who looks out for the interests of the city gave them his opinion, this group didn't like what he advised.
Guccione was in serious legal trouble after he violated the city's copyright laws during the 2012 election. The board was about to turn his case over to the prosecuting attorney when Mayor Paul Lambi issued an executive pardon one week before Guccione was sworn-in as mayor. Guccione figured wrongly that the city attorney was there to represent him through the ordeal, he found out that Rost represented the city, not individuals within the city. After that was all finished, Guccione was going to spare no expense in relieving Rost of his position, having no board support, he needed to wait until the legal services contract was up for renewal.
Kross and Shryock's dislike of Rost is an entirely different story. These two aldermen have gotten themselves into some potential legal problems that I'm holding onto until such time that a determination has been made. Once I get the first indication of anything going public, I assure my readers, I'll be all over it. They each went to Rost with their problems and they also didn't like the advice they were given. Time will tell about the possible slings and arrows headed their way. These two aldermen are not enough to reject the recommendation of the Professional Services Committee so, enter Alderman Micheal Hays.
Hays came to office by appointment of Guccione and was elected in 2013 via one of the most unpopular elections ever in the history of Wentzville. This may not have happened if Kross hadn't flipped on her vote to allow Guccione to appoint him, now Guccione had his first real ally on the board of aldermen. Hays has literally done nothing productive on the Board of Alderman, his sole mission is taking up space until such time that Guccione needs him to vote on an issue. I defy anyone, anywhere, to successfully refute that assessment.
So here we are, Guccione, Kross, and Shryock dislike Rost because they don't feel he helped them with their personal problems, still not enough votes to have him removed from his job. Now we add the vote of Guccione's pet monkey, Hays, and it's instant revenge.
Something inside me says that none of these revolutionaries gave a thought to the fact that when they threw out Rost, they were throwing out the entire legal services team. Tom Cunningham, Bond Counsel, has a reputation of being one of the best, if not the finest Bond Counsel in the entire state, and they didn't renew his contract because they didn't like the advice of the City Attorney. I have to wonder about the leadership qualities of any of those who voted against Cunningham, Vogel, and Rost on September 25th.
At any rate, the scrambling goes on in the city — Wednesday's Board of Aldermen meeting, October 9th, has the possibility of being exciting. "NEW BUSINESS: Item 3, (ID # 4834) Professional Services Committee," and "Item 4, (ID # 4833) Municipal Legal Services," holds the potential for some real serious discussions. I look to see Aldermen Stokes, Gard, and Gossett bring up some very interesting questions for Guccione, Kross, Shryock, and the invisible man, Hays.
What happens when the city hires a new attorney and he/she doesn't tell them what they want to hear?
ReplyDeleteI thought the attorney represents the city not the employees-elected or otherwise-in city business. If the aldermen Kross and Shryock are seeking legal counsel from the city attorney isn't that a violation of getting something (legal counsel) for nothing ( not paying the lawyer) and personally benfiting from their relationship with the city for getting $free$ advice???
DeleteThey use their clause to break the contract and try try again and again because they are not happy with themselves so they will never be happy with anyone else.
ReplyDeleteWhen folks like Alderman Kross and Shryock pick at the city, its processes, procedures and guidelines it is they that they are genuinely unhappy with where they are at in their lives personally, professionally, internally and with interpersonal relationships as a whole. Tearing apart the city, its staff and how it works gives them a sense of superiority that balances out their failings and feelings of inferiority. As long as they are sad with life they will destroy what is around them. So Sad, so sad to be in their shoes.
DeleteI've been warned that Alderman Cheryl Kross may have something real nasty up her sleeve. It could happen as early as tomorrow evening at the meeting.
ReplyDeletei have heard things about shryock and kross having some self inflicted problems with city employees. is that the legal problems you are talking about?
ReplyDeleteI can't say what or when, but it will more than likely break soon.
DeleteI heard that Shryock actually ignored the advice of the City Attorney and continued doing what she was doing. Surely there must be some kind of punishment for that.
Deletei am wondering why Alderman gard apologized to chief Harrison three times at the meeting of the 9th. is it something to do with the problems of aldermen kross and shryock? he mentioned a document that his name appeared in.
ReplyDeleteIf you know what's going on, please tell us.
When the time is right, I will tell everything I know.
ReplyDelete