Richwood $147K Missing

What appears to be a looming controversy over a large sum of money in uncleared checks emanating from a town's general fund led to the mayor abruptly leaving a recent town hall meeting. Saying that he didn't "want to be called a liar" Richwood Mayor Gerald Brown left the special meeting after getting into a disagreement with Alderman Wysinger Cleveland. An issue between the mayor and the board of Alderpersons was a questionnaire provided by the Digital Forensic Corporation, hired by the town to look at $147,000 in uncleared checks from the town's general fund. The issue is compounded by Brown allegedly filling out the questionnaire without any participation by other alderpersons on the board. Alderpersons Wysinger Cleveland and Leola Keys believed they would be participants in the process. They were left out by Brown, which is what allegedly led to the mayor walking out of the meeting.

Alderman Cleveland said the questionnaire would ask questions as to whether they believed that fraud was being committed or misappropriation of funds, as it is a lengthy questionnaire. Cleveland went on to say that was the first time he saw the questionnaire. In the video of the meeting in progress, the mayor can be seen walking past Cleveland, appearing to have a brief verbal exchange with the Alderman. "I don't like being called a liar," said Brown, adding, "Unfortunately, I probably didn't handle it the best way".

After saying once again that he "didn't want" to be called a liar, he also said that he didn't want the meeting to be "degraded" into an argument or a shouting match. "Since they want to have a meeting, I left and let them have their meeting," said Brown. The board passed a motion to fill out a supplemental questionnaire with the mayor along with Mayor Pro-Tem Wilbert Reed and Alderwoman Leola Keys.

Alderman Cleveland wants the public to know that he never called Mayor Brown a liar, nor did the video news coverage indicate that he did. But Cleveland did specify that the latest incident of an interaction between the two leaders is the second time that something of this nature has happened. Cleveland made reference to a town meeting where Brown was alleged to have "invited" Cleveland to go outside and settle things after a heated verbal altercation between the two. He said that in both instances, he believed that Brown displayed aggressive behavior towards him with the intent of provoking a fight. Cleveland also said that the mayor may have gotten caught in his own falsehoods for not working with his board on the audit process. This is also the second time Brown has apologized publicly. Several months ago, he apologized on behalf of the town for the board's refusal to allow Representative Pat Moore to speak at a board meeting. Now, with his recent "apology" for his behavior at the town special meeting, does that make him and the board "even"? But the big issue of what happened to $147,000 should be a major concern to Richwood residents, as the answers to the questions from the board and its citizens should come from the mayor. There are three sides to every story. This was one side of this story. The Monroe Dispatch welcomes another or the other side of this story. We only print news; you make it.