Three to two, this is the same old story in Holts Summit's city government. The two Ward I Aldermen vote one way; the two Ward II Alderman vote the other. The mayor breaks the tie and generally votes with Ward II.

Three of five seats on the Board of Aldermen are up for re-election in April, including the mayor's.

James Washington, a Ward I Alderman, is one resident who hopes to shake up the stagnant atmosphere in the city's government. 

"It's very difficult to work in that type of environment where whether your ideas are good, bad or indifferent because someone else didn't think of it," Washington said. "They vote against it, and vote against it because you're not the same ward as they are." 

So Washington wants to do something about it.

"Officially, I'll be running for mayor of Holts Summit," Washington said.

Many Holts Summit residents thought it would be the other Ward I Alderman, Pam Murray, who would run for mayor.

"I really was never interested in running for mayor," Murray said. "It's just not the role that I want."

Murray plans to rerun for her seat as Ward I Alderman. "I think I still have things to offer to this city," Murray said. "If we can just change the composition of the Board of Aldermen, we can get positive business done for the city instead of just bickering over turf."

Murray is involved in a lawsuit with Ward II Alderman, Jim Ringland. Murray is suing Ringland for defamation of character and slander for spreading a false criminal record and wrongly accusing her of election fraud and tampering.

Washington's reasons for running are simple.

"I felt that the way the city was being run was not what the people deserve," Washington said.

Washington definitively made up his mind after the October board meeting when Mayor Parks told a citizen he could not speak to Washington and Murray because he did not live in the ward they represent.

"Anything you say, the people you need to talk to if you're from Ward II, they are over here," Parks said at the October board meeting. "You wouldn't tell a senator in Illinois that you got a problem in Missouri. These are your people over here that are your elected representatives for your ward." 

The citizen replied by saying, "You're not going to tell me who I can talk to."

"What kind of leadership is this when our leadership does not make themselves available to the press?" Murray asked. "They do not make themselves available to the public; they try to limit other officials' contact with the press and the public."

Another issue for Washington and Murray is the use of city money.

"We've had some expenditures which were somewhat questionable," said Washington said.

"We had most recently almost $1,200 spent to buy lumber for an emergency to install new bleachers down at Greenway Park. They still aren't up," Murray said.

The issue is the amount approved by Mayor Parks. City code states the mayor can only approve $1,000 of expenditures between meetings. Parks went over by $168. City Attorney Dave Bandre said under a strict reading of the ordinance, the mayor did nothing wrong because it only calls for approval of spending, not prior approval.

At the Sept. 9 board meeting, Aldermen voted to change the code to $3,000.

"Is $3,000 gonna be enough?" Washington asked at the Sept. 9 meeting. "We might as well set the limit as high as you want it to since you're not going to follow the policy."

"What you keep accusing me of and what you done in public saying we misappropriated money, which is wrong," Parks replied. "I think it's downright disgusting that you would say something like that about this city. It's over with. With this ordinance, it's over with."

The vote was three to two.

Essentially, Washington thinks Richard Parks should no longer be mayor.

"I'm under the opinion that he runs city government as if he's a dictator. It's either his way or no way. That is not how I feel city government should be run. It should be run openly, and at the direction of the citizens, not at the direction of two people or three people," Washington said.

Washington and Murray hope the three to two vote will come to an end.

If Washington is not elected mayor, he will retain his seat as Ward I Alderman because he has one more year left on his term.

KOMU's Megan Murphy left Mayor Richard Parks two messages asking him if he plans to rerun for his seat. He never returned her phone calls. Ward II Alderman May Ann Durham's term ends in April as well. Murphy called to ask if she plans to run again and she said she wouldn't speak to Murphy.

The first to day file is Dec. 18.