Council Member Terry Crow Shares With Constituents Concerns Over Council Environment

Council member Terry Crow has sent an email to his constituents in the First Ward expressing his concerns over "recent events" in U City and urging them to turn out for tonight's City Council meeting.

"Those with the power are dismantling our community infrastructure, demoralizing city employees, and creating a great deal of ill will," he wrote in the email.

Crow took issue with a  resolution to reprimand Council member Byron Price. "For the first time in my tenure on the council the mayor is asking the council to reprimand an elected official," he wrote.

In the letter of reprimand, University City Mayor Shelley Welsch alleges Council member Price defamed the city manager, spoke in a bullying fashion to an employee and a member of council, verbally attacked a council member, the mayor, and her office, became physically menacing by rising from his chair, and impugned the reputation of members of council.

Crow denied Price ever left his chair and said the council member "only spoke passionately on behalf of the citizens he represents and residents from all corners of our city."

Crow sees the letter of reprimand as "part of council majority’s plan to silence our citizens by intimidating Mr. Price into submission."

The council member also expressed  his concerned that City Manager Lehman Walker is eliminating positions without consulting the Council, something he is not required to do. Crow said the council just learned the city manager has eliminated 9 positions. He feels the terminations aren't warranted. 

"These reductions come at a time when we have the highest level of cash reserves in our city’s history," he wrote.

Crow was also dismayed by the mayor's removal of a resident from a city board. "None of the 42 questions that I asked about this matter have been answered."

Crow ended his email by saying he fears that "the essence of our community is under attack by the aggressive tactics being deployed by the council majority."