• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Tuesday, May 24, 2022
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • 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

Mayor testifies about destroying records

Debbie Coleman-Topi by Debbie Coleman-Topi
February 17, 2022
in Headlines
Nan Johnston
23
SHARES
585
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

Nan Johnston: ‘I was merely cleaning up files’

Parkville Mayor Nan Johnston has testified before an investigatory committee claiming that she did not delete documents from her private email server that were subpoenaed as evidence during a civil lawsuit despite a large of amount of evidence demonstrating she did. (Editor’s note: Facts, evidence submitted and timeline regarding Johnston’s destruction of evidence have been obtained by The Landmark and can be viewed on the Platte County Landmark’s website at this link: https://plattecountylandmark.com/2022/02/02/documents-detail-parkville-mayor-nan-johnstons-alleged-destruction-of-evidence/).

In Johnston’s testimony, she addressed the emails that were deleted from her private email server despite a subpoena and court order to provide them.

RelatedNews

Landmark English Award

FBI headed to Platte County

Salaries at Park Hill to get boost of 5.25%

“I was merely cleaning up files and not even thinking about that it might look bad,” Johnston testified. Evidence indicates that Johnston deleted an entire email box in addition to the individual files and emails she mentioned.

Johnston also claimed that she had no knowledge that an area resident did not receive the public records he had requested in an open records dispute. That disagreement ended in nearly $450,000 in legal fees and settlement costs to the Parkville taxpayer. The $195,000 settlement is thought to be the largest Sunshine Law settlement in Missouri’s history.

Johnston testified last Wednesday in a meeting of the Parkville Ethics Commission after members were called to investigate behavior alleging Johnston broke the city’s ethics code and violated code governing the conduct and expected behavior of those serving in public office. The complaint, written by resident Elaine Kellerman states Johnston broke the law, the city’s ethics code in several instances and calls for her removal from office.

In her testimony, Johnston told commission members she was surprised to learn Jason Maki, who requested numerous city records under the Sunshine Law, had not received all the documents he requested.

“I was not aware records were not released,” she said. “That was not the intent of the board of aldermen or me. I just thought it was a done deal.”

The Platte County Sheriff’s Department confirmed several months ago that it has launched a criminal investigation into actions by Parkville officials.

During her testimony to the commission, Johnston said she only learned of the sheriff’s investigation into her actions and the City of Parkville when contacted by area media.

She also stated that she has not been interviewed by the sheriff’s department for their investigation.

When reached by telephone, Platte County Sheriff’s Department Major Erik Holland said he could not comment on investigation since it’s ongoing. However, when asked about Johnston’s comment that she had not been contacted by the sheriff’s department about the investigation and only learned of it when contacted by area media, Holland said, “I can’t comment as to the statements by the mayor, but the city is very aware we are conducting an investigation,” he said.

Commissioners asked Johnston why the Maki lawsuit was settled out of court, before going to trial, if the city had done nothing wrong. They asked if a settlement was the directive of the city’s insurance carrier. Johnston said that she knows the answer to that question, but, due to ongoing litigation, thought she should not divulge that information.

When asked this week to comment, Maki stated that the city did not have an insurance carrier involved and “the decision to settle was their own and not influenced or forced by an insurance provider.”

Maki also stated, “it’s silly that the mayor wouldn’t answer that question, it is a matter of public record. Perhaps she’s trying to mislead people by being evasive in her answer.”

Johnston testified: “I think the board just wanted this to be over and decided to settle knowing it would cost a whole lot more (if the case continued).”

She added she was “adamantly opposed” to settling the lawsuit, saying that it was not a unanimous decision.

Tags: ethicsLawsuitsNan Johnstonparkvilleplatte cityplatte countyPublic SafetySunshine Laws
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

Chloe Bramble

Landmark English Award

by Landmark Staff
May 23, 2022
0

Chloe Bramble, a graduating senior at Platte County High School, is this year's winner of The Landmark English Award. The award, established by the newspaper in 1982, is given each year to a Platte County High School senior as a...

45 Years Ago–May 20, 1977

by Ivan Foley
May 20, 2022
0

Mr. and Mrs. Mike Latham of Kansas City announce the birth of their son, Brian Nelson, on May 12, 1977. The maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Russell Quinn of Camden Point and the paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs....

30 Years Ago–May 22, 1992

by Ivan Foley
May 20, 2022
0

In a closed session Thursday, the Platte City Board of Aldermen voted to fire Tim Ryan, city administrator. Pearl Brown, the new mayor, declined to comment as to why Ryan was fired, and explained that "it is the policy of...

15 Years Ago–May 16, 2007

by Ivan Foley
May 20, 2022
0

Disa Rice, third grade teacher at Siegrist Elementary in the Platte County R-3 School District, received the Fox 4 News Crystal Apple Award on Wednesday. Rice was surprised by the presentation, as Siegrist staff and Platte County R-3 administration kept...

Next Post
Brad Pitt

Olympics, Brad Pitt smell and such

Popular News

  • FBI Kansas City Field Office

    FBI headed to Platte County

    284 shares
    Share 114 Tweet 71
  • Multiple PCHS students taken to hospital

    106 shares
    Share 42 Tweet 27
  • Effort alive to build new Northland Career Center

    54 shares
    Share 22 Tweet 14
  • Local gas pricing pattern should be investigated

    53 shares
    Share 21 Tweet 13
  • Weatherby Lake man sentenced in fraud scheme

    17 shares
    Share 7 Tweet 4
  • 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
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish

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

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?