The impeachment hearing for Jennings Mayor Yolonda Fountain Henderson scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday, February 29 will be held at the municipal court, 7005 Florence Place, the court clerk confirmed today.
The Jennings City Council decided it needed a larger venue than City Hall, where council meetings are normally held, as it expects a large showing from the public.
The council voted 8-0 to proceed with the hearing after being presented with a five-page Bill of Impeachment by special prosecutor Paul Martin, which the council passed on February 8.
“This is more about politics and personal vengeance by a few board members than it is about misconduct in office,” Henderson told The American.
The charges begin with the suit that Henderson filed against the council and many other city officials soon after she was elected. Martin alleged that this suit frivolously cost the city legal fees when the mayor accused the council of setting terms for appointed city officials, which it is legally empowered to do.
Martin alleged that the mayor ordered the city Department of Public Works to perform four pieces of work without council approval. These chores include ordering the Public Works director to clear snow and salt the streets in Flordell Hills, which had no contract with Jennings for such service, and ordering this same official to pick up her lawn mower from a repair shop and drop it off at her home.
Martin alleged that the mayor took actions “to expend city resources without city council approval” in four instances – most notoriously, contracting with Tony Weaver (her former colleague in the Northeast Ambulance and Fire Protection District) without council approval and authorizing the city to pay him after the contract was voided.
Martin alleged that the mayor did not reimburse Jennings after she drove a city vehicle to Jefferson City to defend herself, in the capacity of Norwood Township committeewoman, before the Missouri Ethics Commission. The mayor also allegedly removed from a council meeting agenda a councilman’s request that she reimburse the city for this vehicle use.
Martin alleged that the mayor “exceeded the scope of her mayoral authority in investigating alleged insurance fraud and in disciplining the city clerk as a result” and interfered with the city attorney’s ability to perform her duties in a number of instances.
“Many of these charges inaccurately and unfairly depict my actions and decisions on the days in question. I have not personally gained anything from any of these alleged acts, nor has the city suffered a loss worthy of impeaching me,” Henderson told The American.
“At worse, all of this simply shows that I made some discretionary choices that were not very popular. I have sincerely apologized to the residents and the board for that on countless occasions. Some are trying to exploit my freshman conduct by engaging in a speedy impeachment process so they can have another chance at becoming mayor.”
