The City of Parkville’s ethics commission last week found outgoing mayor Nan Johnston in violation in several of the ethics complaints levied against her by a resident last fall.
Johnston chose not to file for re-election this year to the seat she’d held for eight years. Her last few years in office have been dogged by controversy, which first arose due to opposition to the Creekwood development.
Overall, in their findings, commissioners several times questioned Johnston’s tone in communications with residents and the media, and several times cited her behavior as “not above reproach.”
The commission’s findings were issued late last week, with the board meeting again Monday, March 7 via Zoom to finalize its report, tweaking the wording of the commission’s closing comments. A conclusion calling out a “toxic” environment over the past few years was softened with an eye to future readers.
“We hope this not only concludes the ethics questions, but instills confidence in the administration and the citizens of Parkville to move forward in a productive manner,” the report states.
With special attorney – and county commissioner – Joe Vanover acting as advisor, the commission unanimously approved the final report, with a recommendation to be sent to the board of aldermen. The commission is made up of chair Bryan Dehner, Gil Scott, Jerry Felker, Abby LacKamp and Michael Pearl.
On Wednesday, March 2 at city hall, the commission responded to the complaint filed last year by resident Elaine Kellerman, alleging numerous violations of city ethics codes. The commission ultimately found Johnston in violation in eight of the complaints filed against her.
One of the highest-profile allegations regards the deletion of a personal email account, which is the subject of a criminal investigation currently under way by the Platte County Sheriff’s Office.
On that complaint, the commission decided they did not have enough information to determine if a violation had occurred.
Johnston was found in violation of the city’s code of ethics in the following situations:
Violation of campaign finance laws in 2019, which was previously settled through the Missouri Ethics Commission
Attempting to reduce circulation of a local newspaper
Requesting that discussions involving revoking a commercial lease be kept confidential in 2016
Attempting to get an alderman and others to take action against a local newspaper in 2019
Instructing city employees to stop delivery of a local newspaper to city hall
Calling open records requests harassment
Arrest and conviction on a driving while intoxicated charge in 2020
Threatening a citizen with investigation by a state commission in 2020
In its closing comments while determining its recommendation to the board of aldermen, board members offered their opinions on the violations.
“I think our charge here, with a pretty high bar, is to determine if any fouls have been committed,” Dehner said, adding that the city has a new city administrator due to the recent retirement of Joe Parente and hire of Alexa Barton and will soon have a new mayor after the April election. Several new aldermen will also be elected.
He said he saw the commission’s role as not only to determine if ethics violations have been committed and make recommendations to the board of aldermen but also to set an example for future elected officials. He doesn’t want the current situation to bleed over into the terms of the new elected officials and he is also concerned the negative attention around the recent complaints may deter people for running for public office in the future.
The commission opted to recommend the board of aldermen formally reprimand Johnston, and considered a harsher punishment if she wasn’t about to end her term in office.