Scott City mayor vetoes pay to former city employee, accuses him of lying

Scott City Mayor Ron Cummins explained his veto of the city council’s decision to pay former city administrator Ron Eskew for 11 unused vacation days during a council meeting Monday night.

As mayor of a class-three city, Cummins had the authority to veto the decision, but in doing so, accused Eskew of lying to the council, adding new allegations to an already contentious employment dispute.

Eskew addressed the city council during its March 20 meeting, at which he described the events that led to his resignation.

He recalled signing a one-sentence resignation letter that was drafted for him earlier in March. He claimed he was told if he did not sign it, he would be fired and a “packet” of allegedly compromising information would be released. Since he was discharged, Eskew has said multiple times he is innocent of any wrongdoing and doesn’t know what, if anything, a “packet” might contain.

The episode occurred weeks after Eskew said he discovered improper use of a city credit card by a city employee who was then fired. City clerk Cindy Urhahn was fired Feb. 21.

Since Urhahn was later paid for unused vacation time from 2016, Eskew asked the board for the same courtesy. It is unclear how Urhahn came to be paid, as both the city council and Eskew denied authorizing the order.

In discussing Eskew’s request, several council members pointed out that, although such practice is technically forbidden, paying a Scott City employee for carry-over pay has been known to happen in the past. Council member Randy Morse said that since Urhahn was paid hers, Eskew should get his, too, to which the council agreed.

Cummins announced his decision to veto in a letter to council members the next morning in which he said he found documentation Eskew was the one who approved Urhahn’s payment.

“[Eskew] did not sign the paper but it is clearly his handwriting at the top saying to pay [Urhahn] 9.5 days of vacation from last year,” Cummins wrote in a letter he read to the council April 3. “[Eskew] lied to all of us that night [and] I have decided to veto the motion.”

Eskew has consistently denied authorizing Urhahn’s payment.

He has retained the same attorney as did former Scott City Parks director Phyllis Spinks, who filed a charge of discrimination against the city.

The nature of the document Cummins referenced in his letter is disputed. In email correspondence, Eskew confirmed half the handwriting on the document is his, but said he never gave it to anyone for payment purposes.

The rest of the document was filled in later by Logan Eddleman, who assumed Urhahn’s duties as city clerk. Eddleman confirmed this via email.

Neither, however, signed the paper.

“Mr. Eskew denies any and all charges of wrongdoing and takes any question of his honesty and integrity very seriously,” said John P. Clubb, Eskew’s attorney. “He looks forward to contesting the attacks on his honesty and integrity by Mr. Cummins and members of the city council through the administrative process set up by the state of Missouri and, if necessary, the legal process.”

tgraef@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

215 Chester Ave., Scott City, Mo.