The Parkville Board of Aldermen appointed one resident to the city’s ethics commission just before Christmas.
At the Tuesday, Dec. 21 regular board meeting, mayor Nan Johnston excused herself from the meeting before the formal agenda began, stating she had a headache. The meeting was turned over to board president Marc Sportsman.
According to city clerk Melissa McChesney, the ethics commission met Dec. 15 and recommended one candidate to represent Ward 4 and two possibilities for Ward 1. Sportsman suggested returning the two Ward 1 candidates back to the commission for a clear recommendation.
“Both are highly qualified, but I would prefer for them to be on point to make that decision,” Sportsman said.
Aldermen Doug Wylie agreed and alderman Brian Whitley noted one was already named to the diversity commission.
Whitley suggested the board make the appointment to Ward 4 through May 2024 and wait for the ethics commission to make a recommendation on Ward 1.
Abby LacKamp was appointed to represent Ward 4 on the ethics commission.
The ethics commission has met due to a complaint filed against Johnston in October, claiming violations of the city’s ethics laws and calling for her removal from office.
The complaint was filed by resident Elaine Kellerman. In her response, issued late last month, Johnston pointed out Kellerman’s association with Citizens for a Better Parkville and city critic Jason Maki. She refuted the bulk of the claims of ethics violations and said she believes the complaints to be politically motivated.
Before she left the meeting, Johnston recognized Stacey Slover, Kenny Parrish and Melissa Walsh with Good Citizen awards for their work on the annual Parkville Turkey Trot, which this year attracted about 1,800 runners and walkers to English and Platte Landing parks on Thanksgiving Day.
The board also gave final approval to its 2022 operating budget and approved employee salaries, including 3 percent merit raises.
The sale of a tiny sliver of park property to a resident was also approved. Doug Bias Jr. asked to purchase less than a quarter-acre of vacant land between his property and Vikings Field on River Road.
Bias wants to preserve the small piece of land as a buffer between his property and the field and an agreement was drafted between Bias and the city to sell the bit of land for $1,200.