Aldermen Release Executive Session Minutes on Mayor Investigation

The Wentzville Board of Aldermen released minutes from three executive session meetings regarding a on Mayor Paul Lambi. City Attorney Paul Rost redacted the minutes, and the released minutes were approved by the aldermen following a late-night executive session Wednesday.

But the minutes as redacted by Rost give little information if any, regarding the reason for an investigation into a check from the city to Westplex Local Organizing Committee, or allegations of conflict of interest against Lambi. The mayor was an unpaid board member of Westplex LOC.

The redacted minutes accompany this article.

The minutes do show that someone, whose name was redacted, submitted a letter with a complaint against Lambi. The letter was submitted to the Board of Aldermen, Acting City Administrator Dennis Walsh, Human Resources Director Amy Holiway and City Clerk Vitula Skillman.

One part of the minutes stresses that the chain of command will be followed in communicating with a city employee. The employee’s name has been redacted.

Aldermen did direct a copy of a report be forwarded on to the St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney's office and the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Rost urged the board Wednesday night not to release all of the minutes unless he redacted some statements. He said executive session was created so officials could get legal advice, and an attorney could advise them without fear that his advice would be used against his client.

The minutes also quote Ward Alderman Vann Sample as saying, “any activity by Paul Lambi in his job related to city activity could be perceived as a conflict of interest.”

Why an investigation?

When asked about what led to the investigation and why the board went forward with it, Ward Alderman Leon Tow said, “No further information will be released.”

He declined further comment.

“I think you have to ask yourself, what’s in the rest of the minutes,” said Ward 3 Alderman Nick Guccione said. “I don’t think they should have released the minutes unless they were going to release them all. That’s why I voted against releasing them.”

Patch could not immediately get in touch with the four remaining aldermen.

Aldermen had questioned whether the city received any services in return for the $15,000 check.

On Wednesday night, Mayor Paul Lambi submitted documentation to Rost and media members in response to requests by the city attorney. Rost had asked for information regarding how the money given to Westplex LOC.

Early allegations were that the city got nothing for a $15,000 check given to Westplex LOC. In a Suburban Journals article, Ed Watkins, president of the consulting firm Winning Endeavors and founder of Westplex LOC, said the sports promotion agency used the money to bring two sports celebrities to an event in .

The group was trying to make Wentzville a stop on the Tour of Missouri bicycle race and possibly build a velodrome, a bike race arena, in Wentzville.

The documentation Lambi gave Rost seems to support Watkins assertion.

Included in the packet were copies of checks totaling $17,098 made to various vendors, including $10,000 to Karnazes, known as the “Ultramarathon Man.” That check was written five days after the city’s check to Westplex LOC.

Lambi’s reaction

“It’s just more of the same witch hunt,” Lambi said.

He said he didn’t know why board members proceeded with the investigation.

“I have nothing to hide, so I’m not hiding,” Lambi said.

He said there was no reason for anyone to try to destroy his reputation, especially since he was not seeking re-election.

“The only thing that’s left is a deliberate attempt to destroy an individual by an elected body just because some individuals don’t like that person,” Lambi said. “If they are willing to do that to a four-term mayor, who will they go after next?"

He also said the investigation was not the reason he did not run for mayor.

“No, absolutely not. If I needed to run for mayor again, this little bump would not stop me,” he said.

Lambi said the visions he had for the city have been realized. Earlier Wednesday, he released a document highlighting his accomplishments in eight years as Wentzville mayor.

“Some of the visions I had was a parks master plan and a downtown redevelopment plan,” he said. “Those things have come about.”

He also worked on the new city hall, Lambi said.

“It’s going to be interesting to see what the vision of the candidates will be for Wentzville,” he said. “Are they seeing the David Hoekel Highway completed? Are they seeing a community of 80,000 people with a good transportation system in place?

“If they don’t have a vision, then they’re just a placeholder,” Lambi said. “I didn’t get elected to be a placeholder.”