WOOD RIVER - Considerable controversy has been floating around social media circles this week about a Monday Wood River City Council Meeting and possible changes in the administration prior to the departure of incumbent Mayor Cheryl Maguire.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Maguire, the outgoing mayor, is being replaced by the newly elected Mayor Tom Stalcup in early May and this will be her last city council meeting.
Mayor Maguire talked on the record early Friday afternoon and said she was aware of the information being spread on social media and she confirmed simply: “There will be no action on personnel or removing personnel on the agenda for Monday night. The agenda for the city council meeting will be issued at the end of the day (Friday).”
The meeting will be held virtually in Wood River.
Incoming Mayor Tom Stalcup is waiting on the Monday night council agenda, but he said he was shocked to hear some of the rumors about personnel changes this late in an administration.
“I have been inundated with calls about the Monday meeting,” he said. “I am waiting on the agenda.”
The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office confirmed today it received an open meetings act violation complaint concerning Wood River City Council members. The contact was dated April 16, 2021, to State’s Attorney Haine’s office about an alleged April 15, 2021, meeting.
Philip Lasseigne, a spokesperson for Haine, said the opening meetings complaint was received and “we are looking into it,” with no further comment.
Maguire said it was someone's right to file an "opening meetings complaint" and didn't discuss any of that in any other detail.
Stalcup said with a mayor in now a lame-duck role, he said he would hope there aren’t any personnel changes with a handful of days left in the administration. Stalcup will be sworn in on May 3. He also said he was thankful to hear the mayor say she won’t have any personnel decisions on the agenda for Monday night.
“I would love to start on my own and make decisions,” Stalcup said in regard to personnel.Chris Rhodes also contributed to this story.
