SCOTT CITY MAYOR DECRIES CONSPIRACY

SCOTT CITY -- Scott City Mayor Larry Forhan said Thursday that it will take more than false allegations by his former employer and rumors to remove him from office prematurely.

"...You will have to kill me to get me out of this office of mayor," said Forhan, addressing those who have accused him in recent weeks of lying, embezzlement and tampering. "I'm not leaving this office under any circumstances. I will not allow those who are persecuting me to run me off."

Forhan called the conference Thursday to "clear the air once and for all," over allegations made in recent weeks by the mayor's former employer, a former police lieutenant and a handful of citizens.

"To have my reputation and good name dragged through the mud like this has been difficult and very hard on me, my wife and my family," said Forhan. "But with the strength of God behind me, telling me to always do what is right, I can stand up to any tyranny and accusations that may come my way."

Forhan said recent accusations and rumors running rampant in Scott City are part of a conspiracy to oust him from city government.

Forhan's former employer, N.W. "Bruesstar" Bell of Bell Marketing and Publishing, contacted police shortly after Forhan stopped working for him to file charges against the mayor for allegedly tampering with computer equipment.

When it became apparent that the Cape Girardeau County Prosecutor's office would not be filing formal charges against Forhan, Bell published his allegations on the front page of his newspaper, "The Scott City News."

Days later, Lt. Bobby Wooten was fired from his post in the Scott City Police Department, sparking the resignation of two other officers, a dispatcher and a reserve police officer. The officers claim they left because of the mayor's tyrannical nature and the constant scrutiny the mayor subjected them to while they worked.

To replace the shortfall left by the loss of the officers, Forhan suggested the city hire two Ste. Genevieve officers -- part time -- at $7.50 per hour. His proposal met with resistance from three council members, who Forhan labeled Thursday as "nay-sayers."

And as the council approved the emergency hiring of the officers, Richard Brawley, a Scott City businessman, led a protest against the mayor outside the council chambers.

Brawley challenged the mayor to submit to lie detector test.

But Forhan said Thursday that Brawley attended Monday's council meeting, "for the purpose of trying to embarrass me in front of the council."

Forhan said accusations against him were part of "a conspiracy to end my political career."

The mayor said those conspiring against him are either friendly with, or work for, Bell.

The mayor also criticized three council members -- Ladonna Phelps, Kenny Holder and Ron Oller -- for not having "the best interests of Scott City and its citizens" in mind, when they voted against the emergency hiring of the two Ste. Genevieve officers.

After the news conference, Holder refuted the mayor's claim.

"When we got to the meeting that day (May 26), the mayor told us that there were some officers who would volunteer their time to help the city out, until we got some more officers," he said. "But when it came to the time in the meeting when we were supposed to vote on it, the mayor told us that the officers would be paid $7.50 per hour -- more than our regular officers are making.

"As to the mayor calling us nay-sayers, we have the right to vote yes or no on anything that comes before us," Holder added. "Just because we don't agree with (Forhan's) policies, doesn't make us nay-sayers.

"I didn't vote no to hamper the city, but because I was aggravated with the mayor forcing these people on us, without warning, like he does with all his appointments."

Forhan also accused Oller, mayor pro tem of Scott City, of seeking to depose Forhan so that he can be mayor.

"To Ron Oller I say this: `In a little under two years, there will be an election for mayor If you still want to be mayor, do it then -- not now,'" Forhan said.