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Halloween Events Spooky-good fun next week throughout Clinton County || PAGE A2

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Thursday, October 24, 2024 | Plattsburg • Lathrop • Gower • Cameron |

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CITY OF CAMERON

Councilman asks Gina Reed Hibler to resign

by jamey honeycutt leader publisher

Citing recent alleged ethics breaches, Cameron City Councilman John Feighert has requested that Gina Reed Hibler officially resign from city council.

The request came during comments from council and staff at the end of Monday night’s often-contentious council meeting. Feighert mentioned recent lapses that led to Sunshine Law requests that exposed

what appear to be conversations Hibler initiated with council members Feighert and Curtis that amounted to an illegal quorum. Members are encouraged not to communicate in this way, as it could be used

Council OKs chicken code, natural gas rate decrease leader editor

After input from a passionate public and some deliberation Monday evening, the Plattsburg City Council approved an amendment to the city codes outlining the keeping of chickens inside the city limits. The council made a number of changes to the proposed regulations before signing off. The one-time $100 application fee that was initially proposed was cut down to $50 and the proposed annual fee of $35 was nixed all together. The council also increased the proposed limit of six

meeting to discuss concerns over her recent purchase of condemned buildings in the 200 block of Third Street in downtown Cameron. A citizen requested the communication based on “a city councilwoman’s at-

tempts to marshal city resources to quell concerns over her business dealings as a private citizen.” Copies of the messages have been obtained by The Clinton County Leader. ||Continued on A2

LATHROP ROYALTY

CITY OF PLATTSBURG

by brett adkison

to circumvent public discussion and collude outside oversight from the body and public. Those discussions were initiated by Hibler, as she appeared to try to gain consensus to have a public

chickens for each property up to 10 chickens (no roosters). Those who are already keeping chickens and meet the new regulations will be grandfathered in without the charges. Other regulations include: Chickens can only be kept on lots no smaller than two-tenths of an acre; only female chickens are allowed; chickens must be kept in a fenced-in area or enclosed chicken coop or tractor; chickens must be kept in the rear yard and coops cannot be within five feet of the lot ||Continued on A2

COMMUNITY

Former County Deputy Charged by d’anna honeycutt leader publisher

A former Clinton County Sheriff’s Department law enforcement officer was removed from his position on April 2, 2024, after an internal affairs investigation determined that Joey A. Pierce of Plattsburg, Mo., abused his position and access to confidential police information which allowed his live-in girlfriend at the time, Kacie Magee, to unlawfully evade arrest under orders

of multiple existing warrants, as well as running a query on estranged wife, Karla Pierce, who was not even in the state of Missouri at the time. Current charges against Pierce as a result of the investigation by Corporal C. Wright, Missouri State Highway Patrol, are listed as follows: “Failure to Execute a Warrant and Misuse of Official Information by a public servant.” Both charges are a Class A

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Congratulations to Lathrop seniors Alayna Williams and Lucas Quinn, who were crowned 2024 Lathrop Homcoming Queen and King on Friday, October 18. For more on Homecoming, see inside. brett adkison | the leader

CITY OF GOWER

Council hears about service project by jim bonebrake leader reporter

During the Gower City Council meeting on Monday, October 14, the council heard from two visitors before moving on to city business. Emilia Seever will be repainting the shelters and bathrooms at city park, and Thomas Seever attended

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the meeting to earn a merit badge. Ms. Seever informed the council that the bathrooms recently had been painted to cover graffiti, and she questioned whether she should skip painting the shelters. She was informed by Alderman Bill Stallard that there was no minimum amount of

painting to earn her badge. Alderman Stallard informed her that if her color scheme was different, she would need to paint both shelters. Ms. Seever then rephrased her question, stating that her color scheme was different and was informed that the shelter needs to be painted to match the other buildings.