The Reporter newspaper, Camdenton Missouri

The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

Published July 16, 2014

Townsend kicked out of meeting

By Jeff Thompson
CAMDEN COUNTY - The third time was NOT the charm for Theresa Townsend when she appeared before a truncated County Commission July 10 to once again seek what she considers to be “justice” for Planning & Zoning (P&Z) and Sunshine Law request fees.

Townsend has wrestled with county officials as well as the P&Z Committee for months on a number of topics including Sunshine Law requests for emails from Presiding Commissioner Kris Franken and an apparent doubling of her rezoning fees.

However, after presenting her case - all over again - and seeking discussion on the matter, her conduct eventually led Franken to remove her from the meeting escorted by a county deputy but not before she leveled a new charge against the county: racial discrimination.

Townsend opened her remarks with a calm recitation of her allegations and claims but moved quickly to accusations against the commission as a whole and Franken in particular.

According to Townsend, a request by her to be placed on the agenda in October of 2013 instead turned into an “informal” meeting with the commission during which she claimed 16 separate allegations with accompanying documents.

“To this date this has not been discussed by the commission nor investigated by this commission,” she said.

At this point Townsend accused Franken of trying to discredit her, she accused a local Political Action Committee (PAC) of trying to damage her reputation, and accused both of calling her a liar.

“You have waived $1000s of fees for others,” Townsend said. “When are you people going to give me the money back you extorted through P&Z?”

She went on venting her frustration.

“I’m tired of being put off, I’m tired of being called a liar, I’m tired of having roadblocks thrown in my way,” Townsend said. “I’m tired of having you pervert the law and break the law time and time again with regard to this.”

She asked Franken and Second District Commissioner Cliff Luber for comments on what she had said so far.

“I will make my statement after you make your statements,” Franken said. Townsend said this was an agenda discussion, but Franken disagreed.

She then pointedly asked Luber for his response.

“Well, given the fact that it seems to be there are times within P&Z where fees have been waived (and) attempts to lower them or simply not collect them at all, I think is a huge issue for the county,” Luber said.

Luber stated he has encountered what he claims is “extreme preference to some folks and not to others.”

Townsend further explained her difficulties with building permits, a parking lot, and a walkway and driveway at her business in near Greenview.

“I have done nothing but demonstrate my willingness to comply and yet you stand behind the doubling of my fees,” she said. She then read from a prepared statement and vowed to be back “until you get it right or until I can afford an attorney.”

Townsend then made a startling claim.

“I can only conclude then that the reason this is so, and these things are being done, is you are discriminating against a registered American Indian doing business in your state,” she said.

Once again she asked for a discussion on the many allegations she mentioned but Franken said there would not be a discussion.

Townsend continued to argue with Franken and in due course he asked her to stop; however, she continued talking, demanding Franken and Luber discuss the allegations with her.

Apparently Franken reached his wits’ end.

“One more time and you’re gone,” Franken said.

“You don’t get to do that, Kris,” Townsend said.

“I do,” he replied. Franken then asked a Camden County deputy that had been present to escort Townsend out of the room. Townsend was outraged and asked why.

“Because you’re not complying with rules of order in this meeting,” Franken said.

Townsend asked the officer what rule she was violating.

“Doesn’t matter,” the officer said.

Townsend then asked the officer why he was escorting her from a public meeting.

“Ma’am, I have been ordered by the presiding commissioner and that’s the way it’s going to happen,” the officer said. “Get your stuff and come with me. We can do this nice and easy or I’m going to have to escort you.”

Townsend asked if she was breaking the law. The officer said yes. She then asked what law specifically she was breaking.

“Ma’am, you’re going to find out because you’re going to wind up in the hoosegow,” the deputy said.

At this point Luber tried to intervene.

“Ask him on the way out, Theresa, please,” Luber said. As she was leaving she issued a warning to the presiding commissioner.

“You have just violated my civil rights and my attorney will be in touch this afternoon, I promise you, Mr. Franken,” Townsend said.

As Townsend continued to speak with the deputy outside the commission meeting room, Franken asked Becky Harris from the County Clerk’s Office (substituting for Rowland Todd in taking minutes) for the record to indicate three specific items.

Franken said he was not a member of the PAC Townsend had been referring to “and it doesn‘t belong to me“, he stated that Townsend had started an “illegal building addition that began this entire process“, and that she was not the only person who was “doubled-feed last year.”

Franken then asked if there was any further discussion concerning the last agenda item.
“Yeah, I have a few things …” Luber said.

(See the accompanying article for the discussion that followed between Luber and Franken.)