• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Monday, October 2, 2023
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Weekly Pickem Updates
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Weekly Pickem Updates
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
No Result
View All Result
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
No Result
View All Result

Resident pushing for action against Parkville mayor

Debbie Coleman-Topi by Debbie Coleman-Topi
November 8, 2020
in Headlines
Nan Johnston arrested

Parkville Mayor Nan Johnston being arrested for an alleged DWI in late September.

31
SHARES
776
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

Matter could potentially go to ethics board

Members of the Parkville Board of Aldermen (BOA) either declined comment or answered “no” when asked if they plan to act on behalf of residents who have called for Mayor Nan Johnston’s removal from office following a DWI arrest.

Five aldermen reached by The Landmark Monday either declined comment, said the board is not authorized to act, or plan to wait for possible criminal charges following the mayor’s Sept. 26 arrest for which breathalyzer and blood alcohol tests revealed she was legally intoxicated.

RelatedNews

Electrical reliability has shown significant improvement in Platte City

Proposal for 3-bed ER defeated at state level

Movie filmed in Platte City tabbed for Wichita festival

Police said Johnston blew .11 during the field sobriety test and .098 at the jail more than an hour after being stopped by a deputy with the Platte County Sheriff’s Department after her vehicle crossed the center line.

Johnston’s situation again surfaced this week when Parkville resident Elaine Kellerman submitted a letter that was placed in board members’ packets for consideration during the Tuesday, Nov. 3 meeting.

The letter states that citizens deserve to know what, if anything, the aldermen are planning after a letter signed by the board soon after the mayor’s arrest was vague, according to Kellerman.

“The October 12, 2020 statement issued by the BOA regarding this situation does not go far enough in addressing the pattern of ethics violations and infringements for which the mayor is responsible,” Kellerman wrote of Johnston’s recent actions, including accepting illegal campaign contributions and neglecting to report campaign donations and expenditures as determined by the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Parkville area resident Jason Maki has filed a civil suit against city officials for alleged Sunshine violations. In addition, the Missouri Attorney General’s office was investigating the allegations until Maki filed the lawsuit in February.

Kellerman’s correspondence with the board also included a screenshot of social media postings which “should make it clear that more than just a handful of residents are aware of this incident and have opinions on the matter,” Kellerman’s letter states.

She told the aldermen that not all citizens are comfortable voicing their positions in public, but believed the posts indicated a lot of support for the mayor’s removal. However, Alderman Brian Whitley, whom the Landmark earlier quoted in an earlier article as having said, “You can’t force people to resign,” said Monday he is reluctant to consider opinions expressed on social media due to its “dynamic” nature.

“The screenshot that Ms. Kellerman provided as part of the Board of Aldermen packet had 32 comments,” he wrote in an email. “Yet, when I went to that Facebook page just now, there are 20 comments. Why were those other comments removed? Are diverse opinions included or were those removed, too? For a whole host of reasons, I am cautious about using social media posts to influence public policy. That said, I appreciate Ms. Kellerman’s engagement and desire to hold public officials accountable.”

Kellerman’s letter to board members was critical of the board’s public statement following the mayor’s arrest: “Simply noting the mayor’s apology, expressing your disappointment in the negative publicity, and citing the need for elected officials to be above reproach does not translate to definitive action on your part,” the letter stated.

When a Landmark reporter told Alderman Greg Plumb in a telephone interview Monday that there is a letter by Kellerman in this week’s board packet, he said, “There usually is.”

Plumb took exception to Kellerman’s interpretation of the board’s joint statement following the mayor’s arrest. “I think the letter says more than that. I think the letter speaks for itself and that’s our current position.”

Alderman Dave Rittman said “the city has no immediate say in her removal. I’m not trying to be rude, but.it’s not a subject I’m going to comment on,” he said during a telephone interview on Monday.

Rittman also said city officials continue to abide by a press release City Administrator Joe Parente emailed just days after the mayor’s arrest which stated, “The City of Parkville and Board of Aldermen will not be speaking about Mayor Johnston’s incident over the weekend. This is the time to trust the legal process,” the statement read. “We will continue to focus on serving Parkville residents and businesses.”

Kellerman’s letter also states the mayor’s DWI places her “in direct violation” of a city ordinance outlining the responsibilities of elected officials.

“Citing words from this ordinance in your statement is not the same as formally addressing the ordinance infraction by the mayor,” Kellerman said in her letter, adding that Kellerman was disappointed the mayor “did not even offer to step down after this became widely publicized.”

Stories about Johnston’s Sept. 26 arrest, first reported by The Landmark at plattecountylandmark.com on Sunday, Sept. 27, eventually appeared in multiple newspapers and other publications. More than one Kansas City television newscast showed dashcam video of the arrest. Television reports with the video and audio of the incident focused on the mayor’s telephone call to Parkville Police Chief Kevin Chrisman. Johnston can be heard asking the chief for advice before following the arresting officer’s instructions to step out of her vehicle.

Kellerman’s letter continues, “If you truly believe what you say in your statement that ‘many people rightfully expect more from their elected officials,’ ” and “‘we will continue to represent Parkville’s best interests,’ you should show the residents of Parkville that these are not empty words.”

Kellerman’s letter also addressed board members’ statement in their letter to residents that the mayor’s apology constitutes ‘a start,’ ” and asked, “What exactly does that mean? When are you as a board going to publicly address the mayor’s conduct at a board meeting?”

Kellerman earlier told aldermen if they failed to act on the mayor’s removal she was prepared to bring the matter to the Parkville Ethics Commission. When asked if commissioners would offer a fair decision in the matter since Johnston appointed the commission’s chairman, who is a personal friend, Alderman Phil Wassmer said, “That’s pretty cynical.” and added, “it’s not a paid job and volunteers who make up the group are ‘duty bound'” to offer a fair assessment.

Whitley agreed that he was “disappointed” some people doubt the commission’s approach. “I know two members and I have the utmost respect for them and their ability to be impartial,” he said in an emailed statement.

Whitley said Kellerman should “feel free to bring her concerns to the Parkville Municipal Officials Ethics Commission if she believes that is the best course of action.”

During a phone interview, Kellerman said, “We are well aware of that option. Everything’s on the table.this is not the end of this.”

Tags: Brian WhitleyDavid RittmanethicsLawsuitsNan JohnstonparkvillePhilip Wassmerplatte countyPublic Safety
Debbie Coleman-Topi

Debbie Coleman-Topi

Debbie’s journalism career officially began at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, where she was trained. Her works have appeared in the Kansas City Star and its former Sunday Magazine, the Independence Examiner and TWINS Magazine. Since 2016, Debbie has written for The Landmark, where she has reported on a wide range of Platte County area issues and people.

Related Posts

Judge Tom Fincham

Relocate the courthouse? Chatter still picking up steam

by Ivan Foley
September 29, 2023
0

Engineers and architects have said the structure is sound. The building’s mechanical, electrical and plumbing infrastructure is in good condition. Renovations that can be done with free federal aid money would improve security features and create at least two more...

Time to change the Chiefs’ name?

TnT

by Chris Kamler
September 29, 2023
0

The year was 1984. Kansas City and Arrowhead stadium were the center of the entertainment world. Mary Hart and John Tesh anchored a live edition of Entertainment Tonight from the parking lot. Tickets for the event were a record-breaking $30...

Evergy

Electrical reliability has shown significant improvement in Platte City

by Ivan Foley
September 29, 2023
0

OUTAGE TIME IS HALF WHAT IT WAS A YEAR AGO It was all happy news, smiles and positive responses when Evergy officials presented an update on the reliability of electrical service in Platte City. Evergy representatives updated the Platte County...

Proposal for 3-bed ER defeated at state level

Proposal for 3-bed ER defeated at state level

by Ivan Foley
September 29, 2023
0

WAS SOUGHT WEST OF HWY. 169 ALONG HWY. 152 In a very rare decision, the Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee has denied a request to build a standalone three-bed emergency care hospital just west of the Twin Creeks area. The...

Next Post
Joe Vanover

Vanover victorious

Popular News

  • Jack Stack Barbecue considering Platte County

    Jack Stack Barbecue considering Platte County

    198 shares
    Share 79 Tweet 50
  • Main Street Festival is Thursday

    38 shares
    Share 15 Tweet 10
  • Subdivision of 225 homes gets early okay

    22 shares
    Share 9 Tweet 6
  • This is no time for Platte City to be asleep at the wheel

    10 shares
    Share 4 Tweet 3
  • Char Bar coming to Parkville

    127 shares
    Share 51 Tweet 32
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Call us at 816-858-0363

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Online
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved