JENNINGS, Mo. — Multiple employees with the City of Jennings handed in their resignations on Tuesday.
City Clerk Deletra Hudson announced she is resigning as of Friday; Jennings' city attorney, accounting coordinator, department manager and the contractor in charge of building the new city hall have also resigned.
In a resignation letter addressed to the city council, City Attorney Sam Alton called the actions of Jennings Mayor Gary Johnson "illegal, unethical, immoral, retaliatory and racist."
"Additionally, by the mayor’s own admission, his move to terminate my employment is retaliatory for my suggestion that the city obtain administrative warrants prior to towing cars from personal property," Alton said. "The mayor makes many unsupported, conspiracy-like allegations. I would suggest that you, as council members, ask for proof of his unsupported allegations in the future."
Hudson informed the mayor of her resignation in a Monday letter, citing a hostile and unethical work environment and mentioning a specific incident in which she was given the ultimatum to either discipline a staff member or be disciplined herself.
"Unfortunately, I am finding it difficult to continue in this work environment that lacks mutual trust and includes practices that go against my moral and integration beliefs," Hudson wrote. "The ultimatum I was given to discipline staff for something that I do not believe was her fault or I would be disciplined is something that I can't agree with. Your actions and directives have created a hostile, stressful and toxic work environment, one of unethical conduct that could lead to retaliation for not agreeing to certain unfounded and unethical behavior.
"Therefore, I cannot work in such an atmosphere. As a result, I am forgoing a two-week notice."
5 On Your Side walked into City Hall Wednesday and asked to speak with the mayor. They said he was not available for an interview.
Instead, the mayor provided the following statement:
“I have no comment on allegations.
"I am willing to send a statement on the successful tree grant program, ring camera distribution to residents, trash grants, emergency relief grant, demolition of derelict homes, and the new construction that is happening in Jennings. Also, the proposed youth center.”
5 On Your Side spoke with Alton over the phone on Wednesday about his resignation.
"The actions of the mayor, the work environment that Gary Johnson has created. The things that he's done, the way that he's acted, the way that he's retaliated. I believe he's created a hostile work environment for a lot of people, clearly," he said.
Alton worked for the City of Jennings for close to a decade and now he's one of the many who refuses to enter those doors again.
"The working relationship with Mayor Johnson and myself was doable. It really just blew up when he did what he did in the way he did it," he said.
The former city attorney is talking about a meeting the mayor called last week while Alton was out of town.
Alton said in the meeting the mayor was trying to terminate him, but nothing happened because he didn't have enough votes.
"I didn't really know anything about it until I think maybe a day and a half later when one of the council members called me to apologize. I think that the meeting was in violation of the Sunshine Law and there were items added to the meeting with less than 24 hours' notice," he said.
Aja Owens served on Jennings City Council from 2019 to 2022 and said when she heard about the resignations, she wasn't shocked.
"It doesn't surprise me that people are leaving, or people are being asked to leave. It's a lot of things going on in our city hall, so it doesn't surprise me," she said.
Even running for mayor this past year, Owens said there was a lot of dysfunctions within the walls of City Hall.
"I used to represent the Fourth Ward, so I would find that sometimes I couldn't get things done in our city because it was just a lot of discord with the city council members and the mayor at the time," she said.
Owens said with new leadership comes new hardships, but this long-time resident loves her city, and she just wants to see it thrive.
"If people don't like what's happening, come to City Council meetings, talk to your alderpeople, vote, and do whatever you can to be a part of the solution and not the problem," she said.
5 On Your side also spoke with current Councilman Terry Wilson over the phone. He said city officials are waiting for legal counsel before responding, but they are doing their own digging into all of this. Wilson said a special meeting will most likely be called soon.