OFFICEHOLDERS SEEK POSITIONS IN SCOTT CITY

SCOTT CITY -- Fresh from selecting one of their own as public works director, the Scott City Council is looking for a city administrator.

This time, a former mayor and another council member are in the running.

In a trend of elected officials applying for paid city positions, Larry Forhan, Scott City's mayor from 1992-1996, and Councilwoman Brenda Moyers turned in their resumes for the administrator's job last month.

John Saxton vacated the position in March after serving 18 months. His letter of resignation didn't indicate a reason for his decision, but Moyers said Saxton was living in Perryville at the time. A city ordinance says the administrator "shall be a resident of the City of Scott City" upon employment.

Although Saxton was renting a mobile home in Scott City, some on the council discovered he had a larger home in Perryville.

He had worked as city administrator of Maplewood, near St. Louis, and as county personnel director in Peoria, Ill., before coming to Scott City. Saxton fit qualifications set out in an advertisement for city administrator than ran in the Southeast Missourian in August 1994: "Requires a degree in public administration."

The City Council lowered their expectations for their next city administrator. A classified ad in the March 24 Southeast Missourian says the job requires the degree "or equivalent administrative experience."

The salary is set between $26,000-$32,000, depending on experience.

Forhan said his stints as mayor in both Ste. Genevieve and Scott City, along with 30 years in the business world, qualify him for the job. After battling health problems earlier this year, Forhan is back running Abbey Consultants, a computer sales and consulting firm, out of his home.

Although he attended college, he doesn't have a degree.

Forhan said a chance to take a paid city position had nothing to do with his decision not to run for re-election as mayor. He decided that at the beginning of his first term.

"You can get most of what you want to accomplish done in four years," Forhan said.

He doesn't have any ethical questions about applying for the administrator's position, although his onetime peers in city government will decide whether to hire him.

"The people on the council are very independent," Forhan said. "They always try to do what they believe is right."

Moyers, too, said her seat on the council shouldn't give her an unfair advantage in getting the city administrator's job. A licensed practical nurse at Regional Primary Care in Cape Girardeau, Moyers said her 14 years as area supervisor for Weight Watchers, plus her time on the City Council, gives her experience for the job.

She was one of three council members who voted against hiring Councilman John Rogers as public works director, but the reason wasn't his position in city government. Even so, a city law states: "No person occupying the position of Mayor, Councilman, or any other elective city office shall ... be an employee of the City."

Moyers pointed to a different law she said Rogers' hiring violated. That one prohibits two members of an immediate family from working under the same supervisor.

Rogers' sister, Carolyn Tinsley, is secretary to the city administrator and Rogers will answer to the city administrator, Moyers said.

At the June 3 meeting, Rogers said he wasn't in violation of any laws, although he kept serving as councilman two weeks after the vote to make him public works director. He said he was waiting to see what the salary would be for the job.

Moyers doesn't accept that explanation. She pointed to a city pay scale that sets the annual salary for a new public works director who requires training. The figure is around $22,000.

Some Scott City residents said they are disappointed with the happenings in their government. Barbara Clayton questioned the ability of people without public administration degrees to fill the city administrator's position.

"I have children who are college graduates, but I don't want them running the city," she said. "Actually, I don't think we need a city administrator at all. We should use that money to repair the streets."

Former mayor Shirley Young said serving on the council shouldn't keep people from applying for city jobs, but applicants should consider resigning before they start interviewing.

She and her husband, Lloyd, attended a council meeting to express their views about Rogers' selection as public works director.

"There are an awful lot of upset citizens," Young said.

The Missouri Ethics Commission, a six-member group appointed to examine the actions of government, public officials and other groups, accepts complaints about situations like the one in Scott City, said Director of Compliance Mike Reed.

Although Reed wouldn't determine if the Scott City officials' actions were ethical, he said concerned citizens may write or call the commission in Jefferson City for a complaint form.

Retired judges investigate complaints about broken ordinances and turn their information over to the commission. If commissioners decide a complaint is founded, they turn it over to the Missouri Office of Prosecuting Services to recommend a special prosecutor in the case.