Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Randy Ludlow
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Kaye Bartlett was one of four Village Council members who wanted Chauncey?’s mayor removed from office.
Chauncey Village Council President Kaye Bartlett died Monday night, only hours after a special prosecutor sought to dismiss a petition to remove Mayor Fredericka Shover.
Shover said she hopes the sobering news of Bartlett?’s death can usher in an era of councilmayor cooperation in the Athens County village divided by fighting among its elected officials.
''She would have been an excellent council member if we could have got by this mess,'' the mayor said yesterday.
''I?’m going to bring that up: ?‘Let?’s stop this now and get along and do what the village needs,?’ '' Shover said. ''I take some of the blame, too.''
Norma Kaye Bartlett, 67, was one of the four council members who accused Shover of misconduct and supported removing her from office.
Athens lawyer K. Robert Toy, appointed special prosecutor to examine claims filed against Shover by Councilman Danny Lyons and other residents, told a judge Monday that the complaint was unfounded and should be dismissed.
The news displeased Bartlett, said Councilwoman Barbara Ley. ''We had a big upset. Kaye, I guess, just couldn?’t take the news,'' she said.
A council meeting scheduled for last night was canceled and the American flag outside village hall was lowered to halfstaff in Bartlett?’s memory.
Bartlett worked for more than 20 years as a dispatcher and 911 operator with the Athens County sheriff?’s office before retiring a couple of years ago. She also previously served on council. Shover also is a 911 operator.
''I worked with her for years. Kaye and I had our differences, but we were still friends. I still can?’t believe it,'' Shover said.
Services for Bartlett were pending. She apparently died of a heart attack, her colleagues said.
In a motion to dismiss the case against the mayor, Toy told Probate Court Judge Robert Stewart that there was a ''lack of clear and convincing evidence of misfeasance.''
However, he chided the mayor and council members for their conduct and pleaded for an end to the animosity that has afflicted the village of 1,107 residents about 65 miles southeast of Columbus.
A ''long tradition of working together for the common good has been tarnished by the actions of some members and the mayor in their inability to act in a professional manner during governmental meetings,'' Toy wrote.
If the council and mayor are unable to stop bickering, ''then I envision potential disbandment of the village as was done in New Rome'' in Franklin County, Toy wrote.
Stewart was expected to rule on the motion to dismiss yesterday, but delayed his decision in the wake of Bartlett?’s death, Toy said. ''I?’ve known Kaye for years, she?’s a great lady,'' he said.
Shover was pleased that Toy recommended dismissing the complaint against her. ''I was at a loss, because there were no specifics,'' she said.
Lyons and others accused Shover of a pattern of violating the law and purchasing a used pickup truck for the village last year without council?’s consent.
rludlow@dispatch.com
By Too many women on council
Randy Ludlow
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Kaye Bartlett was one of four Village Council members who wanted Chauncey?’s mayor removed from office.
Chauncey Village Council President Kaye Bartlett died Monday night, only hours after a special prosecutor sought to dismiss a petition to remove Mayor Fredericka Shover.
Shover said she hopes the sobering news of Bartlett?’s death can usher in an era of councilmayor cooperation in the Athens County village divided by fighting among its elected officials.
''She would have been an excellent council member if we could have got by this mess,'' the mayor said yesterday.
''I?’m going to bring that up: ?‘Let?’s stop this now and get along and do what the village needs,?’ '' Shover said. ''I take some of the blame, too.''
Norma Kaye Bartlett, 67, was one of the four council members who accused Shover of misconduct and supported removing her from office.
Athens lawyer K. Robert Toy, appointed special prosecutor to examine claims filed against Shover by Councilman Danny Lyons and other residents, told a judge Monday that the complaint was unfounded and should be dismissed.
The news displeased Bartlett, said Councilwoman Barbara Ley. ''We had a big upset. Kaye, I guess, just couldn?’t take the news,'' she said.
A council meeting scheduled for last night was canceled and the American flag outside village hall was lowered to halfstaff in Bartlett?’s memory.
Bartlett worked for more than 20 years as a dispatcher and 911 operator with the Athens County sheriff?’s office before retiring a couple of years ago. She also previously served on council. Shover also is a 911 operator.
''I worked with her for years. Kaye and I had our differences, but we were still friends. I still can?’t believe it,'' Shover said.
Services for Bartlett were pending. She apparently died of a heart attack, her colleagues said.
In a motion to dismiss the case against the mayor, Toy told Probate Court Judge Robert Stewart that there was a ''lack of clear and convincing evidence of misfeasance.''
However, he chided the mayor and council members for their conduct and pleaded for an end to the animosity that has afflicted the village of 1,107 residents about 65 miles southeast of Columbus.
A ''long tradition of working together for the common good has been tarnished by the actions of some members and the mayor in their inability to act in a professional manner during governmental meetings,'' Toy wrote.
If the council and mayor are unable to stop bickering, ''then I envision potential disbandment of the village as was done in New Rome'' in Franklin County, Toy wrote.
Stewart was expected to rule on the motion to dismiss yesterday, but delayed his decision in the wake of Bartlett?’s death, Toy said. ''I?’ve known Kaye for years, she?’s a great lady,'' he said.
Shover was pleased that Toy recommended dismissing the complaint against her. ''I was at a loss, because there were no specifics,'' she said.
Lyons and others accused Shover of a pattern of violating the law and purchasing a used pickup truck for the village last year without council?’s consent.
rludlow@dispatch.com
By Too many women on council
