Another Night of Arguing at the Manchester Board of Aldermen Meeting

CORRECTION: Patch initially reported that there were two last-minute items proposed to be added the agenda at the beginning of Tuesday night's Manchester board of aldermen meeting, when in fact there were three last-minute items proposed at the beginning of the meeting. It was those three items and one item already on the agenda, the proposal to discuss the possible censure of Alderman Michael Clement, that sparked the heated debate and upset residents Tuesday night. The below article is updated and reflects this correction.

There were a number of issues at Tuesday night's Manchester board of aldermen meeting that upset both board members and residents. 

The discussion became heated as soon as board members began moving down the agenda. 

It started with one item that was already on the agenda and the proposal to add three more last-minute items to the agenda.

A resolution to discuss the possible censuring, or public reprimand, of Ward 2 Alderman Michael Clement for an ethics violation was already on the agenda. It was introduced by Ward 1 Alderman Bob Tullock after Clement was found in violation of campaign disclosure laws by failing to report funds he spent on campaign fliers. However, when the meeting began, Tullock proposed adding two last-minute items to the agenda: (1) he wanted the board to vote on the censure and (2) he wanted to add a resolution directing the city to send all residents within two days a letter advising of the Ethics Commission violation by Clement.  

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Clement was not present at the meeting and had previously notified board members he would not be able to attend due to a scheduling conflict.

Manchester Ward 2 Alderwoman Marilyn Ottenad proposed postponing possible censure discussion of Clement until the next meeting when he would be there. She and other booard members were also surprised when Tullock announced he wanted to vote on the censure Tuesday night.

Tullock responded by saying Clement made the choice not to be there and didn't need to be there for the board to move forward.

"I'm not going to suspend or delay any of the business of Manchester for any one alderman," Tullock said.

Attempting to push forward with the censure discussion and then proposing the board vote and the city send out letters to residents did not sit well with many board members and residents.

"Alderman Tullock, I have no problem with you discussing it, but I think he (Clement) should have the opportunity to defend himself," Ward 3 Alderman Don Ryan said. "But I think we should not vote on it unless he's here."

"These things are added at the last minute, so some action can be taken without Aldermen Clement being present," Manchester City Attorney Patrick Gunn said. He said proposing to add voting on the matter to the agenda at the beginning of the meeting was in violation of state statute because not enough notice was given to introduce the censure vote resolution. "This violates every concept of fairness and due process."

Tullock said that is not how he understands the statute. The discussion then heated up between Tullock and Gunn to the point where Mayor David Willson verbally intervened and tapped his gavel.

“This type of thing happened last May when I missed one meeting, and certain people knew that with me not being there they would get the vote they wanted.  I think this is the same type of thing.  It is wrong," said Ward 3 Alderman John Diehl. "I don’t see why we can’t act like adults and run this city, which a lot of us are trying to do, in an efficient and sensible manner.”

"When I think I've seen everything here, you guys (Tullock and Alderman Hal Roth) manage to go to a new low. This is despicable. I am embarrassed to sit up here doing this tonight," Ottenad said.

The third last-minute item was proposed by Ward 1 Alderman Hal Roth. It had to do with a dispute among board members about who should be the board president. Tullock said he was unfairly stripped of the title last year and has filed a lawsuit against the board.

Tullock wants a judge to determine how a board president is elected by deciding if a vote can be won by the majority of the board members present at the time of the vote, or if it must be the majority of the complete board. Roth wanted to add a last-minute resolution to the agenda to have the board vote on directing the city manager to contact the attorney general and request a formal opinion on what the requirement is to elect a board president. 

The five aldermen present voted down two motions and the third then became a moot point.

The board agreed to postpone the possible censure discussion, which was already on the agenda before the meeting began, until the next meeting on March 7.

Residents later addressed the board, many scolding Tullock for even proposing to discuss a censure, pushing to move forward with the discussion in Clement's absence and his last-minute efforts to add items to the agenda.

Residents told board members how the constant bickering is affecting the city's reputation, deterring businesses from moving there and decreasing homeowner's property values. 

"Why can't we get along?" resident Chuck Barnes asked board members. "Businesses are not going to come here when they read about this stuff."

"Where there's dissention on a board, it hurts the city," said local real estate agent Gary Hoeferkamp.

Manchester resident Kevin McGowan, however, was one of the first residents to address the board after members debated the possible censure and adding the two last-minute items.

"I came here to talk about a kid getting killed," McGowan said. "I don't need to be here listening to this nonsense."

McGowan, a local businessman and a father of four children, wants a solution to making Route 141 in Manchester safer after Alexander Springsteen, 17, was struck and killed crossing the road Friday night.

He said supports the idea of making the viaduct near Grand Glaize Creek a walkway for people to cross under Route 141.

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"I personally walked that twice today and I think that would be a simple thing to do," McGowan said. "But I don't know where to start."

He wants a plan from city leaders and said board members' time could be better spent working on this than arguing with each other.

"We're sitting in a city with tax dollars," McGowan said. "Quit the nonsense. Get me something on sheet of paper so we can save somebody's life, because that kid did not have to die."

McGowan said he'd like some response from the city within 30 days, and he will help move the plan forward.

On the night of the accident, Manchester police said that they do see people crossing Route 141 in places they should not. City leaders at Tuesday night's meeting acknowledge the issued should be reviewed. The idea of crosswalks, overpasses and the underpass may soon be looked at, but at this point, there is no ideal solution.

"The answer is whatever we have to do, we'll have to fund it," Acting Manchester Police Chief, Lt. Tim Walsh told Patch. "Is there a clear cut answer, I don't see that."

McGowan tells Patch he'd like the underpass the be a memorial walkway to honor 17-year-old Alexander Springsteen who was struck and killed Friday night while crossing Route 141 with friends.

Other Business:

A resolution to post the city's expenses on the city's website was introduced by Alderman Tullock, but after discussion Tullock said he would postpone introducing the resolution, make changes and reintroduce the idea at the next meeting.

A resolution was passed to accept the engineering proposal for Doverfalls Area Storm Water concerns.

A resolution was passed to accept a proposal for pool management services.

A resolution was approved for additional design services of Kuhlmann Design for the pool piping and utility layout.

A resolution was approved to purchase nine Watchguard in-car video systems using asset forfeiture funds. The new systems are updated dash-board cameras.

It was also the first reading of a bill to prioritize all storm water projects in order of established property.