Ousted Tracy mayor loses her appeal
Doesn’t matter
that her
son-in-law was
‘contract labor’ |
by Ivan Foley
Landmark editor
Another courtroom loss for Rita Rhoads, former mayor of Tracy.
On Tuesday, the Missouri Western District Court of Appeals announced it upholds a decision made by Platte County Circuit Judge Lee Hull.
Last July, Hull ordered Rhoads removed from her post as Tracy mayor for committing an act of nepotism. Rhoads had hired her son-in-law to repair a city-owned sign.
The ouster petition was brought by Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd last summer. Hull, after a two-hour hearing, determined that Rhoads violated Article VII, Section 6 of the Missouri Constitution, which states that a public officer forfeits his or her office if he or she appoints to “employment any relative within the fourth degree.”
Rhoads’ attorney, Keith Hicklin of Platte City, contended that because Rhoads’ son-in-law was hired as an independent contractor she did not appoint him to employment. For more on story. |
