The Smithville aldermanic board voted unanimously to censure Mayor Jimmy Poss this past week, agreeing that he violated the city’s nepotism policy by hiring his son to work at the golf course.

“We all like Mayor Poss,” said Alderman Gayla Hendrix in leveling charges of nepotism against the mayor who was not present for the special called meeting last Thursday evening. “This was a direct violation of our nepotism policy.”

At the center of the special meeting was the mayor’s hiring of his son, Tony Poss to help upkeep the swimming pool and other things at the city’s golf course. The junior Poss was paid a little over $8,000 when he was hired without the board’s knowledge or approval.

“That’s a big no-no,” said Alderman Danny Washer of the mayor going around the council in order to hire his son. “I’d hoped to get some answers tonight.”
While Mayor Poss did not show up for the meeting, he did send a prepared statement that was read aloud to the aldermen.

“My hiring of my son to maintain the pool and equipment at the golf course has become an issue because of our charter and city ordinances,” the mayor wrote. “I want the council and the public to understand that my only goal was to safeguard and maintain the equipment located at the golf course. I want to assure you that it wasn’t a waste of the city’s funds because the equipment must be maintained and my son was the most logical choice. In hindsight, his hiring without council approving may have been a mistake. I have, however, hired other part time employees without the approval of the council in the past and at the time felt it was not necessary to seek the council’s approval.”

The fact the mayor mentioned hiring other people without board approval was troubling to Alderman Shawn Jacobs who said city policy dictates the council must approve all hires.

“These things keep piling up,” Jacobs said, noting board members learned about Tony Poss’ hire off the street, leaving them in an awkward position with their constituents.

“Our job here today is to assure the public that this stops here today,” said Alderman Jason Murphy in calling for the vote.

While the aldermen all agreed on censure, which is only a public admonishment of the mayor for breaking city policy, Hendrix wanted to go further and ask the mayor to pay back the money his son had made during the job.

“I don’t see how we can get it,” Washer argued, the measure for reimbursement failing to pass the board by a count of 2-3.