Carl Junction impeachment case could be delayed
City Administrator Steve Lawver also said Wednesday morning that the hearing was still scheduled for Monday but from what he's heard from the attorneys, it will likely have to be delayed.
'This is something that will need wide dissemination, so we'll likely post it on the city's Facebook page and website when we hear something concrete,' Lawver said. 'We'll probably put the notice out front on the website.'
The mayor's attorney, Bill Fleischaker, said he hasn't had a chance to investigate and prepare for the case so he's seeking to postpone the hearing.
Moss, who was elected to a two-year term in April 2025, faces questions about his conduct in City Hall.
The first complaint was sent by email from Alderman James Shanks on May 8 alleging to Lawver that, 'after being elected mayor, Mr. Moss visited with me in my home and while discussing the employee handbook and the employee evaluation documents he made the comment directly to me referencing 'Steve's Harem.' Although he didn't go name by name, I can come to no other conclusion than he was speaking about the female employees who work for the city in different roles and at your direction.'
According to the minutes of the May 20 Carl Junction Board of Aldermen meeting, City Attorney Mike Talley said 'several allegations and references were made and the code of ethics was mentioned.' Talley told board members they needed to hire outside counsel if they wanted to prosecute this as a complaint and that he had contacted Nate Dally with the Lauber Law Firm, who was willing to take the case.
Minutes from the May 20 meeting say Talley told the board that an additional four complaints had been filed at that time.
The board voted to suspend Moss at its June 3 regular meeting, but Lawver said the board found out later that it had moved in the incorrect order to suspend Moss, and the June 17 minutes showed Moss back in the mayor's chair, where he remains.
The articles contain four specific charges against Moss:
• 'Moss, in conjunction with his official duties of supervision of his subordinate, has engaged in conduct constituting malfeasance in office (malfeasance is the commission of some act wholly beyond the actor's authority); Specifically, the mayor referring to female city employees as a harem was a violation' of city code.
• The city alleges Moss failed to enforce compliance of the city code that says all employees 'have the right to a workplace free of sexual harassment' and that such misfeasance — improper performance of duties — 'shows a conscious disregard for the proper order and discipline of the City of Carl Junction, its Code, and the laws of the State of Missouri as they relate to the conduct of government.'
• The city alleges Moss also violated city personnel policy against age discrimination. The complaint alleges: 'In or around April and May 2025, Mayor Moss made age discriminating and age bias comments about the city administrator (Lawver) including inquires into his retirement plans, Social Security eligibility and insulting the city administrator due to his age should retire, despite being informed of their illegality.'
• The city alleges misfeasance, nonfeasance and/or malfeasance on the part of Moss and that his actions 'further establish that Mayor Moss is not suited to hold public office, is an inadequate steward of the position of mayor of the city of Carl Junction and undeserving of the trust placed in him by the citizens of the city of Carl Junction, Missouri.'
Moss declined to discuss the charges or the impeachment when contacted by phone by the Globe.
Fleischaker said he didn't plan to argue the case in the media but added that Moss denies all allegations.
'He had a private conversation with a council member,' Fleischaker said. 'Whether that counts as an impeachable offense is questionable.'
Dally, the former Carthage city attorney who resigned in 2024 during the Carthage City Council's attempts to impeach then-Mayor Dan Rife, did not return messages left by text, voice mail and email for comment on the case.
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