The Meeker Board of Trustees voted to censure Mayor Donna Weber, as well as accept the resignation of Town Administrator Jeff Wilbourn at a special meeting on Sept. 16. The Trustees also voted to rescind a written warning issued to Police Chief Trent Norton at a previous meeting and to reimburse Ofc. Kyle Crow for time withheld during his three-day unpaid suspension.
Trustee Kenneth Massey brought forth the public censure against Weber, saying it pained him to make the motion, but it needed to be done for several reasons. The agenda stated alleged unauthorized exercise of municipal authority, withholding of law enforcement investigative information from Trustees and interference with town operations.
Massey stated in his motion that Weber created a new organizational chart that altered the chain of reporting authorization without Board approval, then took the chart to town employees and asked them to sign it. When some refused, Massey alleged that she threatened them with insubordination. He then alleged that Weber withheld the investigative report on the library incident from him for at least two and a half weeks, and interfered with daily operations of the town by holding meetings with employees and telling them how to do their jobs.
“I don’t take pride and joy in having to make this motion, but that’s the only thing to do because those things happened and those things are wrong.And that’s the only recourse I have, and I exercised my right to do it,” Massey said.
Prior to the public censure, the Board went into executive session to discuss the employment, hiring, demotion, appointment, promotion, resignation or termination of Town Administrator Jeff Wilbourn. When they returned, they voted unanimously to accept his resignation, effective Oct. 30.
The Board opted out of executive session to reconsider actions taken against Police Chief Trent Norton at a meeting held on Aug. 17 regarding a firearm left in the library unattended. After a back-and-forth, the Board ultimately voted to rescind the written warning and take no action.
The Trustees voted to reimburse Ofc. Crow of wages and/or other employee benefits that were previously withheld during his three-day suspension and for attending the town See Page 2A