FLORISSANT, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) -
A showdown in Florissant, Missouri, Monday night. Amid allegations long time mayor and former police chief Robert Lowery had been running election campaigns in part on the city's dime the city council banned Florissant department heads from campaigning for candidates for city offices, even on their own time. It was a unanimous vote.
The vote came after two former candidates for city council, who ran failed campaigns in the last election, spoke to the council about what they viewed as "machine" politics in Florissant, with city department heads fueling the machine.
"In talking with several department heads who were directed by the mayor to go out and work the polls for my opponent, they didn't want to be there," said Greg Striebel, who ran in Ward 8. "But they liked having a job it's not ethical it's not moral, that's for sure it's not fair, so please, search your souls, vote yes for this bill."
"Government cannot be ruled by intimidation," said Gregory Heise, who ran in Ward 5. "If we are not being run like that by a democracy, then we might as well have a kingdom or dictatorship."
The crowd of close to 75 erupted in applause when he finished speaking.
Lowery's been mayor in Florissant for nine years, after serving as its police chief for 22 years. He plans to run for reelection next year. He said city workers had a first amendment right to campaign for anyone they want, like everyone else.
He admitted to asking them to campaign for him in the past, but only on their own time.
Still, a source says one of those department heads has filed for workers' compensation for a back injury suffered while moving Lowery campaign signs, while on the job.
Yet, council member Tim Lee, who spearheaded the ordinance, told FOX 2 he was not out to get the mayor.
"I want to look forward and say what we're going to do in the future," Lee said. "If it's happened in the past it shouldn't have. This will clarify some issues with our current ordinance and hopefully prevent it ever happening in the future it prevents a conflict of interest for an employee working for or against an elected official. It keeps them out of that local politics."
"He's a friend," Lowery said of Lee.
But he said he wished Lee would have come to him with the ordinance and any concerns before presenting it to the council.
"If anyone did campaign work on city time," Lowery said, "they weren't supposed to do that no, it was never tolerated before. And is this legislation necessary? In my opinion, no."
As for the political opponents he said orchestrated the ban, Lowery had this to say, "If this is the way they feel better or they can get some headlines, then so be it. Let them have their say. Let them have their 15 minutes of glory, here."
There's been talk Lee might be angling for a run against Lowery next year. He told FOX 2 he had no plans to do so, for now.
Lowery did not have a vote on the ordinance. He does have veto power.
Still, he said he would sign the measure into law, even though he opposed it, to put the issue behind Florissant.
The vote came after two former candidates for city council, who ran failed campaigns in the last election, spoke to the council about what they viewed as "machine" politics in Florissant, with city department heads fueling the machine.
"In talking with several department heads who were directed by the mayor to go out and work the polls for my opponent, they didn't want to be there," said Greg Striebel, who ran in Ward 8. "But they liked having a job it's not ethical it's not moral, that's for sure it's not fair, so please, search your souls, vote yes for this bill."
"Government cannot be ruled by intimidation," said Gregory Heise, who ran in Ward 5. "If we are not being run like that by a democracy, then we might as well have a kingdom or dictatorship."
The crowd of close to 75 erupted in applause when he finished speaking.
Lowery's been mayor in Florissant for nine years, after serving as its police chief for 22 years. He plans to run for reelection next year. He said city workers had a first amendment right to campaign for anyone they want, like everyone else.
He admitted to asking them to campaign for him in the past, but only on their own time.
Still, a source says one of those department heads has filed for workers' compensation for a back injury suffered while moving Lowery campaign signs, while on the job.
Yet, council member Tim Lee, who spearheaded the ordinance, told FOX 2 he was not out to get the mayor.
"I want to look forward and say what we're going to do in the future," Lee said. "If it's happened in the past it shouldn't have. This will clarify some issues with our current ordinance and hopefully prevent it ever happening in the future it prevents a conflict of interest for an employee working for or against an elected official. It keeps them out of that local politics."
"He's a friend," Lowery said of Lee.
But he said he wished Lee would have come to him with the ordinance and any concerns before presenting it to the council.
"If anyone did campaign work on city time," Lowery said, "they weren't supposed to do that no, it was never tolerated before. And is this legislation necessary? In my opinion, no."
As for the political opponents he said orchestrated the ban, Lowery had this to say, "If this is the way they feel better or they can get some headlines, then so be it. Let them have their say. Let them have their 15 minutes of glory, here."
There's been talk Lee might be angling for a run against Lowery next year. He told FOX 2 he had no plans to do so, for now.
Lowery did not have a vote on the ordinance. He does have veto power.
Still, he said he would sign the measure into law, even though he opposed it, to put the issue behind Florissant.
