Marble Hill mayor hires city manager without board approval

MARBLE HILL, Mo. — Marble Hill Mayor Jerome Gaines said Tuesday morning he went over the heads of the city’s Board of Aldermen and hired Rick Jones to be the city administrator at a salary of $30,000.

The board of aldermen had an entry on its agenda for June 12 to discuss whether to hire a city manager to replace Don James, who resigned earlier. The board did not meet June 12 because there was not a quorum.

Another meeting was set for June 26. Gaines called a meeting for June 19, but again, there was no quorum. He said he was unaware of a scheduled June 26 meeting.

The board made no decision about whether to hire a city administrator, and the job was not advertised.

It was alleged two aldermen met with Gaines on Monday and voted on hiring a new manager.

But both the mayor and Alderman Darrell Bostic, reported to be one of two aldermen in attendance, denied there was a meeting.

Gaines, however, did not deny he hired Jones, whom he said was on the job Tuesday morning. He acknowledged what he did may be illegal, but he said he had no choice.

“I can’t get all of them (aldermen) to come to a meeting,” Gaines said. “I need to do everything I can to run the city. I can’t sit here and let nothing happen. It’s quite a mess. I had to do what needs to be done.”

Gaines said he drove by the home of Alderman Kevin Robinson on Monday and saw Robinson’s truck in the driveway, meaning Robinson was home and could have come to a meeting.

He said Alderman Chad Ritter claimed he was working Monday night, but Gaines said he did not believe he was.

“They lied to me,” he said. “I can’t run the city on lies. I have to keep the city moving. They can impeach me if they want to. I know I did something that isn’t kosher. I have been in contact with the attorney general’s office. I have a city to run.”

Gaines declined to say what he discussed with the attorney general.

Gaines and Bostic said the mayor has the authority to hire a city administrator even if the job had not been advertised.

“I just decided to do it,” Gaines said. “I called him from my house and interviewed him.”

“It has to be approved by the board,” Bostic said, who added Jones came to the city asking to be hired. “So next Monday, the board will be voting.”

When told the mayor said Jones already was on the job, he said, “I’ll have to talk to him about that.”

Gaines and Bostic claim the city is a “mess” because of nepotism among employees and one of the aldermen. Gaines accused current city employees and Robinson of forcing Don James out as city administrator.

The Banner Press tried to reach city attorney Alan Beussink to question him about the boundaries of the mayor’s authority. He was unreachable and did not return messages.