AUXVASSE - The Auxvasse City Council met Tuesday evening for its July meeting.
The council heard updates from city departments and discussed a beautification project that the Auxvasse Girl Scout Troop 71446 approached the city about involving painting and trash cans.
The Auxvasse Police Department reported 162 calls for service since the last council meeting. The Auxvasse Fire Department reported nine calls for service in June and commended the Callaway County Health Department on its efforts during the pandemic. The fire department currently has 10 active members. Other city updates include ditch work, sewer repairs and the upcoming replacement of the swings at the park.
Though it wasn't on the agenda, the situation involving Police Chief Kevin Suedmeyer was brought up in public and council comments.
Suedmeyer was placed on administrative leave for a single day in June after an area resident's complaint about Facebook posts made by Suedmeyer. The posts related to the national protests after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Suedmeyer was reinstated with a verbal warning 24 hours after being placed on leave (bit.ly/3di3hnP).
The incident also inspired a peaceful protest calling for Suedmeyer's removal. On June 26, about 35 protesters and a dozen counter-protesters and Suedmeyer supporters gathered in Auxvasse.
Suedmeyer was not present at Tuesday's meeting; instead, Mayor Tom Henage read his report aloud.
On Tuesday, one meeting attendee had a series of questions and comments for the council related to the issue, such as whether the city has an employee social media policy, as well as how much it cost the county for law enforcement working the night of the protest.
"What is the salary for last year of our police chief?" former alderman Terry Walker asked. "I believe the man probably makes somewhere in the range of $8,000-$10,000 a year if I'm guessing correctly, and for somebody to give up their First Amendment rights for $8,000-$10,000 is ludicrous."
North Ward Alderman Danielle Huddleston, who participated in the June protest, addressed the comments.
"I believe the freedom to peacefully protest is a right," Huddleston said, adding that law enforcement at the protest were there to protect both groups.
Huddleston also told the council about an incident where a community member showed up at her house and refused to leave, describing the encounter as confrontational.
"The man would not leave my home," she said. "My children were home."
Huddleston noted that there are opportunities at city council meetings for the public to speak.
"People can call up here and make a complaint formally, but not come to a board member's home because they're angry and confrontational," Huddleston said.