Mayor vs. Mayor: Holder Accuses Kellerman of Threatening Son's Job
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Former Mayor Joe Holder told the Pinckneyville City Council Monday evening that Mayor August Kellerman has "engaged in political retaliation, discrimination, intimidation and official misconduct" by threatening his son, Police Officer James Holder.
The alleged incident occurred on April 3, 2012 at 5:55 a.m. at City Hall. The former Mayor provided a written statement from his son and a letter of apology from Mayor August Kellerman, dated April 9, 2012, as well as a letter from James Holder to Police Chief John Griffin and Griffin's reply.
Officer James Holder writes that Mayor Kellerman said that he was tired of Jessica Holder writing stories about his children. Jessica Holder writes for the Pinckneyville Press. She is the daughter of Joe Holder and the sister of James Holder.
Officer Holder alleges Mayor Kellerman threatened to give Jessica Holder's juvenile records to the press in retaliation. Officer Holder also maintains that Mayor Kellerman threatened to fire him on that occasion.
The April 9 letter from Kellerman reads:
"Dear Officer Holder,
Please accept my apologies for the comments which I made to you on the morning of April 3, 2012. I realize my comments to you concerning your sister were entirely inappropriate. Further, to the extent you have interpreted my comments as implying that I would ever remove you from your present position, please be assured that it was not and is not my intention to threaten your position with the City. As you know, I have no authority to discharge you from your current position and would not do so even if I had such authority."
Officer Holder's letter to Police Chief Griffin states that on two separate occasions Mayor Kellerman told him he could not fire him and that Commissioner Kevin Hicks told Holder that the Mayor and City Attorney Roger Seibert had discussed terminating his employment with the city, but could not do so without cause.
Griffin's reply to Officer Holder states that, as of Jan. 19, 2012 he is not aware of any disciplinary actions in the past or presently at issue that would merit any concern over his job. Officer Holder has met or exceeded standards in his performance appraisal.
In other business, the Council:
agreed to give Subway Restaurant $10,000 from the Business District Tax Fund to renovate their building to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. Owners Gary and Shea Winter will also receive a $10,000 Champion Community Investments loan from Perry County.
authorized Mayor August Kellerman to write a letter to Alan Middendorf stating that the city does not approve of a proposed zoning change, allowing him to operate a recycling center on Route 154 in a building owned by Contempri Homes. In order for Middendorf to receive a special use permit for the building, the area would have to be changed to an industrial zone.
approved a UTV special use permit to be valid only during the American Thresherman 's summer and fall events and the annual Mardi Gras celebration. Permit holders must meet all rules and requirements of the current UTV ordinance. The special use permit will cost $20. The regular UTV permit fee is $35.
passed a resolution approving temporary closure of Route 127 at the intersection of Randolph and South Main Streets for the PCHS homecoming parade at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 4.
approved an intergovernmental agreement with Perry County for telecommunication/dispatch service through the Perry County Sheriff's Office at a cost of $1,830 per month.
agreed to pay the annual NPDES permit fees for Sewer Treatment Plant #1 ($7,500) and Sewer Treatment Plant #2 ($5,000).
approved a request from the American Thresherman Association to close Ballpark Road during the annual summer show Aug. 13 - 20. The council also agreed to allow ATA members to travel through town for their Parade of Power on Thursday, Aug. 16 at 5:30 p.m., following the Mardi Gras parade route.
appointed Charlene Butcher and re-appointed Patricia Wittenauer to the Pinckneyville Library Board.