New Bloomfield hires new city clerk, City Council meeting canceled

UPDATE 5:05 P.M.: The City Council meeting has been canceled “due to posting error and possible lack of quorum.”

ORIGINAL STORY: The New Bloomfield City Council is having its monthly session Tuesday after the city council appointed Terry Shaw as the mayor of the city.

Shaw said he is currently satisfied with how things are running. He said the latest thing the city has done is hire a new city clerk.

“We have hired a city clerk. That’s probably the biggest thing we’ve done …It’s been kind of hard to conduct routine city business with no city clerk,” Shaw said.

According to Shaw, not much has been done since he has taken on the role of mayor but with the help of a city clerk, things will start to move forward.

Shaw told ABC 17 News that the new city clerk will earn roughly the same amount as the previous city clerk — $36,000 a year.

The city’s clerk salary has been a sore point for New Bloomfield residents who are concerned that the city doesn’t have its own police department.

Rita Kliethermes, a resident of New Bloomfield for more than 36 years, said she doesn’t see Shaw making changes like the previous mayor, Greg Rehagen.

Rehagen gave his resignation May 16 citing medical reasons, but city residents said they believe Rehagen could simply not take the pressure people wanting and demanding answers.

“Not really fond of the new mayor. We had him before as a mayor … Things weren’t really great then,” Kliethermes said.

Kliethermes said she will be attending Tuesdays council meeting to see if it will pass any new ordinances behind residents’ backs.

With the new city clerk earning the same as the one before, Kliethermes said it’s why she believes the city still need’s a new mayor and why the audit she is a part of with other residents still stands.

“I don’t think our city clerk is worth that much money because big cities don’t even make that much money. You can work at a courthouse and not even make that much money,” Kliethermes said.

Nicole Galloway, Missouri state auditor said the cost for the audit will be a New Bloomfield expense but with an audit in place, residents can have answers to their questions.

Cheri Wilson, a resident and chief petitioner for Concerned Citizens of New Bloomfield, obtained over 100 signatures to petition for an audit to see where the city’s money is going.

According to Wilson’s husband, Bill Wilson, the audit still stands no matter what others may tell them.

Following Chief Greg Mooney resignation in February, residents were concerned with the city not having its own police department.

According to Shaw, New Bloomfield is being served by Holt Summit’s Police Department.

“Holts Summit is our police department at the current time. They will be through December and fines that they issue, (that) money will be return to the city of New Bloomfield’s general fund,” Shaw stated.

The City Council is scheduled to meet at City Hall council chambers at 6 p.m. Tuesday.