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Posted by Scott Spielman
at 6:32 PM | Comments
Nobody said a word as Walter Mears, Belleville’s City Manager, walked out of the Belleville High School cafeteria Monday night.
The posturing and name-calling had already happened. Several residents, a former city councilwoman and some current members of the Downtown Development Authority all spoke in support of the city manager who had only been appointed four months earlier, but it didn’t matter.
Mears was terminated from his position on a 3-2 vote of the council.
The issue started with a question of his educational background, but grew into something more—at least in my opinion. I think he and the council both were in a bad position once he ignored a resolution—also approved by the council on a 3-2 vote—to turn in the credentials. It’s difficult to support someone who essentially ignores a direct order, no matter how nice he or she may be.
There are some rifts on the council, though, that need to be healed now. Maybe they have been there all along, but they became glaringly apparent during the meeting last night. How do you move forward on that?
I’m not sure. I can tell you how not to do it, though: you don’t walk away. You don’t call each other names. Belleville deserves better than that.
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