Wyatt Takes Oath; Breaks Tie Vote

By MARK EVANS

STE. GENEVIEVE HERALD

Tie votes are becoming commonplace in St. Mary.

A month after the city’s mayoral race ended in a 37-37 tie, the first meeting of new Mayor Carl Wyatt’s third tenure also saw the annual vote to elect a president of the Board of Aldermen/mayor pro tem finish in a tie last Thursday night.

After Alderwoman Jennifer Schwartz nominated Alderman Clyde Cassoutt, Alderman Dr. Zenon Duda nominated himself. A motion for Cassoutt  to be elected showed Cassoutt and Schwartz voting yes and Duda and Alderwoman Annette Hacker voting no. A motion for Duda showed Duda and Hacker voting yes and Cassoutt and Schwartz voting no. Wyatt broke the tie by voting for Duda.

The meeting, which saw the board deal with two troubled properties in the city after city manager David Woods swore in Wyatt as mayor, had other moments of drama as well.

Gloria Bader, outgoing mayor, who had lost a special June 30 election to Wyatt, 58-45, made some closing remarks, complaining about a letter Wyatt had mailed to local voters prior to the special election, questioning her judgment on several issues.

Bader spoke during the public forum section of the meeting, denying various allegations that had been in the letter, including her stands on cashing the city’s certificates of deposit [CDs] and the vote to eliminate the police department.