Noel City Council Meeting Discuss Mayor's Impeachment
By: KODE/KSN, Joplin, MO
Updated: October 10, 2012
NOEL, MO.--- The Noel City Council takes up the thorny issue of how to respond to the actions of the town's Mayor, which led to criminal charges against him.
Tuesday's council meeting was forced to take place inside a storage area at City Hall, because Mayor James Carroll had the locks changed on all of the doors to the main building.
Aldermen are considering an impeachment vote against Carroll. They also voted to file an injunction with the McDonald County court, which would keep the mayor from having sole power of day to day business at city hall.
Council members announced the resignation of the Mayor Pro Tem and asked Alderman John Lafley to fill the position. If Carroll is impeached, Lafley will serve as mayor until next election.
"I think all of us, everybody sitting here, we all make mistakes. We don't always do the right thing but honestly we're trying," says Alderman Nancy Zeorlin.
The city attorney says the injunction can be filed within days. However, the bill of impeachment has to be added to an agenda for a future council meeting.
Mayor Carroll has the chance to attend the session when the impeachment vote is taken and defend himself. But ultimately, the majority vote of the Council will decide. If impeached, Carroll could then appeal in circuit court.
Previous coverage:
Two Noel City Leaders Charged with Restraining Councilwoman
Councilwoman Claims She Was Forced to go to Illegal City Meeting
Tuesday's council meeting was forced to take place inside a storage area at City Hall, because Mayor James Carroll had the locks changed on all of the doors to the main building.
Aldermen are considering an impeachment vote against Carroll. They also voted to file an injunction with the McDonald County court, which would keep the mayor from having sole power of day to day business at city hall.
Council members announced the resignation of the Mayor Pro Tem and asked Alderman John Lafley to fill the position. If Carroll is impeached, Lafley will serve as mayor until next election.
"I think all of us, everybody sitting here, we all make mistakes. We don't always do the right thing but honestly we're trying," says Alderman Nancy Zeorlin.
The city attorney says the injunction can be filed within days. However, the bill of impeachment has to be added to an agenda for a future council meeting.
Mayor Carroll has the chance to attend the session when the impeachment vote is taken and defend himself. But ultimately, the majority vote of the Council will decide. If impeached, Carroll could then appeal in circuit court.
Previous coverage:
Two Noel City Leaders Charged with Restraining Councilwoman
Councilwoman Claims She Was Forced to go to Illegal City Meeting
