About 30 citizens of Diamond City attended a special meeting of the city council earlier this month.
The Harrison Daily Times reports the meeting was called by three members of the newly reconstituted council, Jim Wisnieski, Larry Brown and Rick Van Dyke.
The agenda was crowded, dealing with everything from a budget resolution for the city that has no budget for the current year to discussion of hiring a city attorney, with the previous incumbent resigning in April.
The seven action items on the agenda represented various city business matters that have not been tended to in recent months.
But those in attendance were focused on one item on the agenda, the acceptance of Mayor Jan Hudson’s resignation.
Mayor Hudson was arrested in May by Arkansas State Police on a warrant for theft of more than $4,000.
ASP spokesman Bill Sadler said at the time of the arrest although Hudson is Diamond City mayor, the criminal charge is associated with her work as treasurer of the Diamond City Community Center.
The investigation alleges theft by Hudson in the amount of $4,550.
In April, Hudson was removed by the council as the city’s check signer.
KY3 news reported city councilman Van Dyke said the move vote was an expression of the council not wanting to see a repeat of previous misuse of community center funds and checks.
Hudson previously held the position of treasurer in addition to mayor. During that time, Hudson wrote a $1,400 check for a truck for her brother with community center funds in lieu of paying him for his work at the community center. After writing the check for the truck, Hudson says her brother changed his mind and no longer wanted the truck. Hudson proceeded to write another $1,400 check to her brother. She claimed the truck money was paid back by her brother, but community center leaders have failed to find any record of the payment.
In the special meeting, Wisnieski brought a pair of documents in an attempt to end Hudsons tenure.
The first purported to be Hudsons appointment of Wisnieski as interim mayor. Hudson had earlier appointed Councilwoman Gina Whited as interim mayor to serve while Hudson was off work with medical issues, but Whited could no longer serve.
The letter noted Hudson would be appointing Wisnieski as interim mayor. However, there was no signature on the paper.
Wisnieski planned to present a second document as the mayors resignation, but it didnt appear to be a resignation letter.
It read: Mayor Hudson has requested in writing and signed by 4 current council members that the council request Mayor Hudsons resignation, for the best interest of the city due to her current situation with the DC Comm. Center.
Wisnieski sat in the center chair at the council table, prepared to act as interim mayor, when City Recorder Tina Jackson came to the front of the room and announced there would be no meeting for lack of a quorum.
The three council members who called the meeting were in the hall, but Don Bennett was too ill to attend. Carolyn Arnold and Gina Whited were also absent. Arnold has failed to respond to attempts to contact her.
Two council members does not make a quorum. Since Wisnieski was serving as interim mayor, he could be counted toward a quorum. That would have made three, and a quorum of the body takes four.
If Wisnieski had been present as a councilman, Recorder Jackson would have assumed the duties of mayor. Those duties include voting to establish a quorum. In that case, the meeting could have proceeded.
It didnt happen that way. The meeting was canceled. The citizens appeared dismayed. The mayor remains in office, and Diamond City remains in turmoil.
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