Missouri Mayor Does the Hokey Pokey with Her Job

Being an elected official is not easy. You have to learn that you can’t please everyone, even though you represent everyone in your particular area of governance.  Then after grasping this you have to find a balance of getting things done, managing the day to day operations and the media too. It’s a juggling act.

In Bellefontaine Neighbors, a north county suburb of St. Louis, Mayor (?) Dinah Tatman is having a moment.

Last weekend she penned a letter stating that she was leaving the position of Mayor and included in the letter was information on her reaching out the Missouri Attorney General requesting a forensic audit of the city’s finances. That letter was submitted to the city council, who accepted it by a vote of 6-1. At that same council meeting Tatman then decided she didn’t want to officially “resign”, and that the letter was just for “leave” for a couple weeks and that she needed some time away from the pressure of the job.

The council said they’d already voted and accepted the resignation. Tatman doubled down saying that they could only remove her via impeachment. So, she was out, then back in (kind of), and then yesterday….

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Out-- She submitted a more formal resignation letter via her attorney. Bellefontaine Neighbors now has an “temporary” Mayor, in the person of Board President James Thomas Sr. who’ll try and navigate the continuing difficulties in the St. Louis suburb that is contending with budget problems that have led to walkouts by city workers.

Bellefontaine Neighbors citizens are questioning whether this situation was handled properly and legally.