Poplar Bluff Council gives vote of confidence to city manager

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff City Council members voted 6-0 on Tuesday night to give city manager Doug Bagby a vote of confidence in response to allegations made a day earlier by Councilwoman Angela Pearson.

Having just been elected in April in Ward 1, Pearson said "the information I have uncovered during my research is very disappointing and disturbing."

She questioned the bidding process used for health insurance for city employees, engineering work and auditing, and alleges Bagby has "conflicts of interest" while serving on a bank board with men who do business with the city.

Pearson, who was absent Tuesday night, has asked state and federal authorities to conduct an investigation.

"The allegations are groundless. It appears I don't have Councilwoman Pearson's confidence," Bagby said. "Because of her allegations and the embarrassment to the city, my family and me, I request a formal vote of confidence."

Bagby said Pearson was correct in saying he knows a lot of the people doing business with the city.

"I've lived here 63 years, but what she and her co-authors would have you do is use your imagination to connect the dots on how this could be happening," Bagby said. "The problem with her analysis is I don't sign contracts, approve bills paid or approve the city budget. That all happens at the council level."

Bagby said Pearson "is actually making these allegations on herself and past and present councilpersons."

He said Pearson has not attended the Missouri Municipal League's Newly Elected Officials Conference or any of their other training sessions.

"I have repeatedly encouraged her to do so. I feel she simply doesn't know what she is doing and refuses to rely on the experience of incumbent councilpersons," Bagby said. "She appears to like both drama and the limelight, and she is going to get both even at the expense of the progress of our city, which she constantly says on her social media pages she is so concerned about."

Bagby has worked for the city 40 years, including the last 10 years as city manager.

Before the formal vote, the six council members expressed their support for Bagby.

Pertinent address:

Poplar Bluff, Mo.