Smithville Aldermen Censure Jimmy Poss

The Smithville Board of Aldermen voted Thursday night to censure Smithville Mayor Jimmy Poss for hiring his son to work part-time for the city.

The vote 5-0. Poss did not attend the meeting. But he did release a statement and asked City Attorney Vester Parsley to read it to the board.

“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,” Poss wrote in the statement. “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.”

“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.”

But Aldermen Gayla Hendrix said the mayor’s statement did not answer the board’s questions. She
said the issue extended beyond hiring without council approval.

“It is a direct violation of the nepotism portion of our personnel policy by hiring an immediate family member,” Hendrix said.

The mayor hired his son Tony just days after the board approved a $75,000 contract for maintenance of the city golf course.

Hendrix proposed an amendment to have the money Tony Poss made working on the city pool repaid. That amendment failed.

“I know the public would like to have some money back,” Aldermen Danny Washer said. “I hear the same thing you do but I don’t know how we can prove what was done and how much money should be paid back if any.”

A censure basically serves as a public reprimand of a government official.