Howe council votes to remove two disciplinary reports from administrator’s file

The Howe City Council voted during a Sept. 5 special session to remove two disciplinary reports from City Administrator Monty Walker’s personnel file.

Council considered Action Item 1 (removing disciplinary report No. 1) and, after debate and failed attempts to postpone, members voted in favor of removing the report on a voice vote. The council then discussed Action Item 2 (removing disciplinary report No. 3, tied to a June 11 phone call) and also voted to remove that report; in both cases the chair called for 'aye' votes and recorded no opposition.

During discussion Council members and commenters differed on whether the June 11 phone call contained profanity or public disrespect. A council member and the mayor debated whether prior promises to rescind certain write-ups had been fulfilled. Public commenters, including business owner Steve Davis and former mayor Mark Merrill, spoke in defense of Walker and questioned the process underlying the disciplinary actions.

The decisions to remove the reports were recorded in open session; the council did not enter an executive session to decide those outcomes during the actions reported on the agenda.