Councilman Brian Williams has resigned his seat with the Argo Town Council effective Dec. 11. Once the regular council meeting adjourned Dec. 11, Williams handed Mayor Louie Glenn a letter that simply and directly stated, “I resign my seat on the Argo Town Council.”
The council had just voted to name Glenn Wells as the full-time police chief. Every council member voted in favor of Wells with the exception of Williams, who abstained.
When contacted Monday, Williams elaborated on the reason for his resignation. He said he believed some of the actions taken pertaining to the appointment of the new police chief were illegal and that the information had been “turned over to the Attorney General’s Office and the Ethics Commission.”
Williams also said he and his family have been harassed and threatened.
“There have been threats on my family and I’m just tired of it,” Williams said. “There have been harassing telephone calls and my children have been threatened at school. I just decided enough was enough. We were not getting anywhere as a council and it was time for me to step aside.
“When your children are afraid to stay at home while you run to the grocery store for just a few minutes, it is time to leave.”
Since the resignation of Williams, Glenn has attempted to have two special called meetings to declare a vacancy on the council but a quorum has not been present at either meeting because council members Patricia Powell and Kenny Gospodareck failed to appear. The first meeting was scheduled Dec. 14 and the second meeting was scheduled for this past Saturday. Glenn was going to attempt to have another called meeting this past Tuesday.
“Not only have Gospodareck and Powell missed the two special called meetings, they have missed the last three work sessions concerning our budget,” Glenn said. “They have received proper notice of these meetings and it has been posted at five different locations throughout town.”
Powell said she was under the assumption that Thursday’s meeting was a budget work session only.
“That’s what we set before we left the council meeting on Monday, Powell said. “Then, a resident of Argo called me and said that it was going to be a special meeting. When I called the town clerk, she said it was going to be a special meeting to declare the council seat vacancy. I was not properly notified about this special meeting. Mayor Glenn has lied to me in the past to get me to come to a special meeting but I am not going to do anything illegal.”
Powell said the biggest problem is there is a lack of communication at Argo.
“I was properly notified about the Saturday meeting, but I was not able to attend due to plans,” she said. “I could not reschedule my plans. I am not going to attend any more meetings until our next regularly scheduled meeting, which is Jan. 8. Declaring a vacancy on the town council is not an emergency. It does not stop paying the bills or town business. We have 60 days to fill that position.”
Gospodareck basically said the same as Powell. He said no one notified him of a special meeting and there is no communication whatsoever.
“Without notification, the mayor is violating the Sunshine Law,” Gospodareck said. “Declaring a vacancy on the council can be handled at the Jan. 8 meeting. I do not know what the rush is to declare a vacancy. I refuse to attend a special meeting that is not a dire emergency.”
