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complaints. (Mr. Crow then provided Mr. Walker with a copy of the document). Mr. Walker <br />stated that in his opinion the document did not appear to be an endorsement. <br /> Mr. Crow asked Mayor Welsch if she had been contacted by anyone about her brochure. <br />Mayor Welsch informed Mr. Crow that while she would answer this one question, she was <br />not going to sit in this meeting and be interrogated. She then stated that no member of the <br />public had ever contacted her about her election brochure, except to say how well it was <br />produced and how glad they were to see all that had been accomplished in the last four <br />years. Mr. Crow questioned what a reasonable person should infer from the Mayor’s ad <br />about public safety if every time she has been contacted by the press about this issue her <br />response is no comment. <br /> Mr. Crow asked Mr. Walker whether the City had responded to any of the citizen’s <br />complaints regarding the suspension of the firefighters. Mr. Walker stated that no responses <br />had been made. <br /> Mr. Crow then asked the City Attorney what steps had been taken to ensure that the <br />City’s regulations were in sync with the Revised Missouri Statute. Ms. Forster stated that <br />currently they are working with HR to rewrite all of the City’s administrative regulations, as <br />well as the Civil Service Rules, in order to bring them up to compliance with all of the current <br />laws. She noted that to date no revisions have been made to Rule 4 which sets forth work <br />conduct and penalties. Mr. Crow asked Ms. Forster if it was correct that the law had been <br />revised last year and that no changes had been made to the City’s administrative <br />regulations, and yet, this administration elected to suspend five firefighters. Ms. Forster <br />stated that that was correct. Mr. Crow questioned whether this City’s administration had <br />provided any guidance to its first responders with respect to how the changes in this law <br />would impact them. Mr. Walker stated that his belief is that the City Attorney had addressed <br />that question earlier when she indicated that the firefighters’ attorney had been contacted <br />when the issue was first brought to the City’s attention. A warning was provided, but the <br />firefighters chose to ignore it. Mr. Crow stated that in his opinion the City’s letter represented <br />an after-the-fact slap on the hand versus any guidance as to how the newly established law <br />would impact the livelihood of these employees. <br /> Mr. Crow stated that it would seem to him that something that has damaged this City’s <br />reputation as much as both of these actions have; the suspension of the firefighters and the <br />article written by the City Manager, would cause his colleagues to think about all of the <br />authority they have and begin to ask more questions in order to adequately address these <br />issues. He stated that Council has the power to instruct the City Manager, who is their <br />employee, to reply to every citizen that voiced a concern. Council has the authority to take a <br />vote and instruct the City Manager to issue a letter of apology. Council has the authority to <br />reprimand the City Manager or to take a vote of no confidence, but it is doubtful that any of <br />these steps will even be pursued by the majority of this Council. Mr. Crow stated that his <br />colleagues have talked ad nauseum about transparency, but tonight, and even going <br />forward, he assured everyone that the intent was to say nothing. He stated that any time a <br />City Council puts politics before public safety it is a dangerous precedent to set. Mr. Crow <br />then asked all of his colleagues to remember that whatever has been done, they have <br />actually had a say in, but the five firefighters and their families do not. He stated that this <br />has not been the City’s finest hour and his hope is that somehow all of the pieces can be put <br />back together, because he is truly concerned about the reputation of this community as <br />being welcoming, progressive and supportive of working families. Mr. Crow stated that he <br />was so glad that everyone took the time to come to tonight’s meeting, but if they don’t <br />continue to come out all of this will simply be an afterthought. <br /> <br />Mr. Price questioned whether Mr. Kraft had been designated as the parliamentarian. Mayor <br />Welsch stated she had instructed Mr. Kraft to step down and that is what he did. <br /> Mr. Price questioned whether the City’s Charter gives the City Manager the authority to <br />suspend any employee that he deems necessary. Ms. Forster stated that she would have to <br />review the specific language under the Charter, but as the City Manager, Mr. Walker has the <br />6 <br /> <br /> <br />