NEWS UPDATE: Dellwood Alderman James Lovings was impeached on four out of the five articles of impeachment by the Dellwood Board of Aldermen last night.
Lovings, who is running for mayor on Apr. 2, was found guilty of engaging “in conduct that compromises the best interest of the city,” according to his articles of impeachment which the St. Louis American obtained through a Sunshine request.
After the city voted to dissolve the Dellwood police department in November, several white police officers filed lawsuits of racial discrimination against the city.
In December 2011, Lovings sent information via email to one of these police officer’s lawyers to strengthen his case against the city, according to copies of the emails that the St. Louis American obtained through a Sunshine Law request.
After a four-hour meeting, the aldermen voted, 5 to 2, to impeach Lovings, and Lovings himself abstained. Aldermen Karen E. Bober and Ellis Fitzwalter Jr. voted against the impeachment.
Mayor Loretta Johnson recommended that Lovings be found guilty of articles one through four. The articles read:
- I. On or about Dec. 16, 2011, James Lovings sent an email communication to an attorney representing Sean Meyers, a former Dellwood Police who was actively pursuing a claim against the city, providing information that may assist said attorney in recovering relief against the City of Dellwood, Missouri; and
- II. On or about January 22, 2013, James Lovings made a false statement to the Mayor, Board of Aldermen, and the City Attorney, when he indicated that he had not assisted any individual in a lawsuit and or claim against the City of Dellwood; and
- III. On or about January 24, 2012, James Lovings made contact with Beckie Lewis, a former employee of the City, and encouraged her or supported her effort to file an EEOC complaint against the City; and
- IV. During James Lovings tenure of office, he has voluntarily assisted and or encouraged former employees in litigation against the City of Dellwood, using information he has gathered as a member of the Board of Aldermen, which is conduct unbecoming of an Alderman; and
- V. During James Lovings tenure of office, he has made attempts to project the City of Dellwood in a negative light using false information, to the media and general public, all to the detriment of the citizens of the City of Dellwood, Missouri.
Lovings was represented by Attorney Patrick Chassaing with the law firm Curtis, Heinz, Garrett & O’Keefe, P.C. One of the principals in the law firm is Kevin M. O’Keefe, who is the city attorney for nearby municipalities of City of Bellefontaine Neighbors and City of Cool Valley. Though impeached, Lovings is still eligible to run for mayor on Tuesday.
Election reheats: Dellwood battle among officials
On April 2, the City of Dellwood showdown will continue.
Alderman Reggie Jones will vie against Alderman James Lovings for the Dellwood mayor seat, currently held by the city’s first African-American mayor Loretta Johnson. The city has a population of 5,000 and is 85 percent African-American.
Lovings was one of the four aldermen who refused to attend board meetings for more than five months, in protest of voting on a resolution to dissolve the Dellwood police department and contract with St. Louis County Police.
Lovings, a longtime alderman, protested to save the Dellwood Police Department, even though investigations found that the department was deeply flawed. Police officers were selling confiscated evidence, and over the course of three years, the department failed to forward 120 out of 136 felony cases to the prosecuting attorney, according to an internal audit. Many of these warrant applications were for serious crimes, such as assault in the first degree, burglaries, rapes, and drug violations.
When asked what he thought of Lovings’ protest, Jones said, “It doesn’t show strong leadership to refuse to vote because you don’t think you are going to get your way. You have to take the tough vote and live with the collective decision.”
After reviewing the audit’s findings, Johnson and the Board of Aldermen approved the placement of Police Chief Fred Haunold on paid administrative leave on Nov. 27, 2011, and voted for the St. Louis County Police to oversee the day-to-day administrative functions of the police department. Haunold never returned to the department.
Now Haunold is challenging incumbent Alderwoman Dawnn Tanksley for the Ward 2 seat, and Daniel Bell will challenge Ward 1 Alderwoman Linda Cunningham. Both Tanksley and Cunningham were among the aldermen who did not protest the resolution to clean up the police department.
Bernice Lemonds will challenge incumbent Alderwoman Karen E. Bober, who joined Lovings in the protest. The other two protesting aldermen, Donald Haynes and Richard Culberson, were replaced in the last April election.
Jones, Tanksley, Cunningham and Lemonds are campaigning together as a coalition. Mayor Loretta Johnson has endorsed Jones for mayor.
“We want Dellwood to keep moving in the right direction and not go back 50 years,” Jones said.
Lovings is currently going through an impeachment process because he allegedly “engaged in conduct that compromises the best interest of the city,” according to his articles of impeachment which the St. Louis American obtained through a Sunshine request.
After the city voted to dissolve the Dellwood police department, several white police officers, including Haunold, filed lawsuits of racial discrimination against the city.
In December 2011, Lovings sent information via email to one of these police officer’s lawyers to strengthen his case against the city, according to copies of the emails that the St. Louis American obtained through a Sunshine Law request. Lovings later lied and said he did not assist in the lawsuit, according to the articles of impeachment.
Lovings’ impeachment hearing will continue at 6:30 p.m. this Friday at City Hall, 1415 Chambers Road. It is open to the public.
During the protest last winter, Jones was the city’s collector of revenue, and he became an alderman April 3, 2012. Jones currently serves as unit director for The Boys and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis, formerly Herbert-Hoover Boys and Girls Club.
“This has given me valuable experience at successfully running an organization with a $3.4 million budget,” he said. “This experience will also be valuable in running our city and in using your tax dollars responsibly to give you the most benefits and services.”
Jones has worked for the club for 17 years. He is also a former member of the Riverview Gardens School Board and is in active church and community activities. Jones and his wife Rukiya are raising four children in Dellwood.
“We have a vested interest in the stability and betterment of our city,” he said.
