Councilman's motion for investigation of Poplar Bluff defeated

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Councilman Johnny Brannum's motion to have the Missouri attorney general investigate what has been going on in city government for the last five weeks was defeated 5-2 Monday night.

"Over the past four or five weeks, there has been progressively one thing or another," Brannum said. "There have been things said. There have been things done. It all started with the mayoral election [on April 19]."

Brannum read a "threatening" letter his wife received at her workplace from an anonymous writer.

"I'm not leaving folks. I have done nothing wrong," Brannum said.

An investigation by the attorney general is needed to "correct mistakes so we can move on," according to Brannum.

He and Councilwoman Angela Pearson voted for an investigation while Mayor Ed DeGaris and council members Loyd Matthews, Susan McVey, Robert Smith and Betty Absheer opposed it.

Brannum thinks an outside agency should investigate instead of the city police department.

"I'm not saying anything is wrong. We need to clear the air so we can determine what we need to do in the future." Brannum said. "It is not a head hunt for anyone. We need to move forward."

Matthews questioned what the attorney general would investigate.

"This is my 12th year on the council. We have made mistakes, but do they warrant the attorney general coming down?" Matthews asked.

McVey told Brannum he could go to the attorney general "on your own, but you have to be specific. I don't understand why you want to bring in the state."

The only alleged mistake Brannum mentioned was "the leaking of documents."

"If nothing was done wrong, I see nothing wrong with having an outside organization look at it," said Pearson, who was elected in Ward 1 on April 2.

Absheer, who has been on the council more than 23 years, said, "I have never experienced anything like the past four to five weeks. Just leave it alone and move forward. It will take care of itself if there was nothing wrong."

Pertinent address:

Poplar Bluff, MO