(Part 1 of 3)
Mayor Chris Montgomery has been engaging in intimate conversations with a local woman using his town-issued e-mail account and town office, public records reveal.
When initially contacted on the afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 4, the mayor said the woman – whose name changes from Molly King to Grace King in the chain of e-mails that span from Nov. 10 to Dec. 9 – “is just an old friend.”
“We’ve known each other for a long time. We’ve shared some things with each other, and it’s sticky,” Montgomery said.
However, when provided one specific e-mail he wrote to King, in which he told her “I love you and promise we will be together without hurting anyone,” Montgomery acknowledged the conversations were “not appropriate.”
He said public exposure of the e-mails “is going to ruin my family.” When asked if he had anything to say to his constituents, Montgomery responded: “I guess not.”
But on Wednesday morning, he called with a fresh perspective: “Because of your reporting, you’ve nipped something in the bud that should have never gone on in the first place. This is not spin or damage-control. I’m being as sincere as I’ve ever been in my life in thanking you for doing that.
"My major, primary, first priority is my family, and you’ve put the initiative out there to get my head on straight. I want to thank you for that.”
Montgomery said he has no intentions of stepping down as mayor: “I’m gonna stick with the program and keep going; we have a lot of good things going on in 2011.”
He said he is also still considering a bid for re-election in November. “Of course this is a big factor,” he said of the exposure of his e-mails.
Town Attorney Steve Gambill said as far as he knows, the town has “no specific policy addressing elected officials’ use of public equipment.” The town board’s “only recourse whenever actions of a board member are questioned is its ethics policy,” he said, adding that he knows of “no immediate recourse that the voters have if they deem behavior is inappropriate.”
Said Montgomery: “If it is an embarrassment for Mooresville, I don’t want to drag Mooresville down, but (my wife) Lisa and I talked last night. Everyone has problems. There are no Cleavers.”
Messages sent from trips, family vacation
Only once in Montgomery’s e-mail exchanges with King is his wife mentioned: “I just want to know for sure if Lisa knows about me,” King wrote on Nov. 12.
“I told you no,” Mongomery replied. “But when have you believed me?”
While the mayor was spending Thanksgiving with his family at Holden Beach, he wrote King: “At the beach, missing you.”
Back at home, he e-mailed King from an eighth-grade band concert. “Everything is groovy. EVERYTHING,” he wrote.
Lisa Montgomery said Tuesday that her husband is a good man who makes mistakes.
“Our marriage is just like everybody else’s marriage,” she said. “We struggle every single day. If it’s gotta be out there for everybody to see, so be it. We’re committed to our family. My children are number one.”
On a four-day town-related trip to Denver for the annual Congress of Cities Expo, Montgomery asks to King: “Can you fly out here? Come on! Spend tonight.”
King asked the mayor if he was having fun in Colorado.
“Not yet,” he replied.
“Why?” she asked.
“You are not here,” he answered.
Montgomery tells King on Dec. 4: “I want to cover you in rose petals.”
She replies: “E-mail is making me nervous.”
There’s good reason for that. N.C. General Statutes Chapter 132 states that “public records and public information compiled by the agencies of North Carolina government or its subdivisions” – including letters and e-mails – “are the property of the people.”
Many times, Montgomery and King use e-mails to determine the best times to talk on the phone or the best times and places to meet. He often juggles e-mail conversations with King while writing and responding to town-related matters and potential music “gigs.” During his town trip to Colorado on Dec. 3, for example, Montgomery sent Commissioner Miles Atkins an e-mail at 7:26 p.m., informing him that he had forwarded an e-mail to Davidson’s public information officer. At 8:44 p.m., he wrote to King again: “Hitting downtown. Wish you were here.”
Policies don’t address leaders’ e-mails
Mooresville has a policy governing town employees’ use of technology and cell phones, including smartphones like the town-issued BlackBerry devices that Montgomery and the town board carry. The BlackBerry devices allow the board to send and receive e-mails even when they are away from their computers. But those town policies, said Gambill, “apply only to employees.”
“There are no similar policies that apply to the board.”
He said, however, that the ethics policy revised by the town board in October applies to all board members and that “the mayor is considered a member of the board and is subject to all provisions of the ethics policy.”
Gambill said the ethics policy “sets out the process that the board would have to follow in order to initiate censure proceedings.” But when asked if the mayor’s conduct over town e-mail provides ample cause for town commissioners to censure the mayor, Gambill responded, “As the board’s attorney, your question is something that I would have to reserve solely for discussion with the board itself.”
Mayor, wife to work through marriage
Wednesday morning, Montgomery said he and his wife are planning to work on their marriage through ministry-based counseling. “We’re going to stay out in front of this instead of hiding under a rock or a pillow,” he said. “After I read the article, if I read it, I’m sure people will have comments; that’s the fallout. If I’m damned for that, then so be it. I’d rather be a man and face up to it than cower behind it.”
The mayor called his wife “a phenomenal woman.”
“She’s a grown-up. I’ve got some growing up to do,” he said. “She’s solid. I’m just very blessed and very fortunate.”
He said his wife has recently “been asking God to show her a way that she can witness” and that the two of them discussed Tuesday night how they “can use this (experience) as a ministry” inside and outside of their church.
“It’s a huge turn-off when someone does something bad, then all of a sudden, they’re all holy roly,” the mayor said, adding, however, that “things happen for a reason.” Montgomery said he hopes to be able to help others through his own experience: “That’s where I want to be.”
This story can also be found on Mooresville Weekly online. For more information on the e-mails, pick up today's Weekly and check back here and/or Mooresville Weekly online as the day progresses.
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42 comments:
There are no 'Cleavers'??? That, may be true. But, I believe that most of us (with a little bit of integrity) hold our standards MUCH higher then, apparently, our Mayor does.
This is news? I didn't support Mayor Montgomery's election. I've since met him. I think he's a nice enough guy, certainly funny. He's not who we need as Mayor. But, using official email or not, this is base and disgusting and calling it journalism like calling peeping into a window and calling it sight seeing.
He gave up his right to privacy when he assumed no one would read his private emails. Using his private emails to destroy his reputation and family life is just disgusting.
News would have been covering Curtis Pond and digging into the re-zoning that was granted to Mag Land. The lies that were told to 300 families by Scenic Homes.
There are stories out here. Just no journalists.
^He said public exposure of the e-mails “is going to ruin my family.”^
No, Mr. Mayor, YOU and YOUR ACTIONS ALONE ruined your family. God sees everything.
Really!!! Why are we worrying about this? There are many other important issues to concern ourselves with. To the person who commented at 10:48am when were you empowered to judge anothers actions or integrity? The problem here is folks that think they live in glass houses telling others what is right and wrong. Mind your own damn business!
Chris Montgomery is a public official that was elected by us (NOT me, for the record). He's being paid to be our leader so it IS our business. ESPECIALLY when he is conducting his "business" on town email and on town time...it certainly IS our business and IS news.
11:47...go get a lesson on ethics.
The purpose of this blog is "Covering the Political Landscape for the People of Mooresville & Southern Iredell County". That is exactly what Jaime's done and done well. I don't think anyone would argue with that unless they are one of the arrogant high-powered positioned people that have presented themselves unfaithfully to the Town of Mooresville and been caught in doing so.
12:10 is hurting a man's family an kids "Covering the Political landscape" I think NOT!!! GATON have you ever heard of "KARMA"
1:11....he hurt his own family and kids when he made the decision to have an affair. He is the only one responsible for all of this.
There may not be any Cleavers in Mooresville, but there are plenty of Beavers in the Mayor's office.
1:11 - VERY true. Accountability hurts sometimes.
I am NOT surprised! He thinks he is so much smarter than anyone else... I guess not! Shame on you Ms. King too. Lisa, I am praying for you and those precious children!
My favorite part of stories such as this is watching people shoot the messenger. It happens a lot, that's why there's a saying for it. Noone twisted the mayor's arm to make him write those letters over town e-mail. Anyone saying that the messages in that man's Inbox are not our business are people that would let the government take or do anything they want completely unchecked. Those days in Mooresville are long over. If you don't like it, MOVE to a place that doesn't watch its government officials closely and where it doesn't matter if someone draws a check on the taxpayers back all the while being too distracted to lead the community. Go ahead--MOVE.
2:45, that's funny, i don't care who you are.
Ok. Let's settle on some common ground.
1. We should all pray for the Mayor and his Family.
2. He was (is) stupid to use Town email resources to carry on his affair.
3. God will judge his behavior and not us.
4. It was the Mayor's actions and his alone which caused this and not the reporting of this affair.
5. We, Townspeople expect our Leaders to behave in a manner which will not disgrace our community. (If this was anyone else, we would just shrug our shoulders.)
6. We, Townspeople expect to get value for our taxpayer dollars. Distractions like this at the workplace cannot be tolerated.
7. Yes, there are other important items facing our Town which need attention.
8. He is a Republican.
Did I miss any?
But with all the above listed, the fact still remains that our Mayor is dumb, distracted, may have violated the Town's ethics policies (if not the letter, certainly the intent!), has lost respect of the people, lost his ability to lead with integrity, and has distracted our attention from 'pressing issues'.
There is little more sacred than the the Matrimonial bond. If he can violate that, when can we believe him? When will he be distracted again?
He MUST resign. Town Board do something!
Mrs. Montgomery, in the state of NC you can sue this Ms. King who knowingly permanently damaged your marriage, for criminal conversation and alienation of affection. I have only seen one comment about her, but wives need to start making the other party pay too. If more mistresses were sued, this would happen less often. I mean how much is a cheap romp going to be worth, really? If not for yourself, do it for the wife of the next man she goes after.
The mayor will pay a price; how about Ms. King?
Lets see Miles Adkins wants to run for Mayor, his neighbor is Jamie Gatton...Hmmm. What the Mayor did was wrong no doubt but what Jamie and Miles are doing for their personal gain is wrong too....beware citizens of Mooresville.
2:56 > If he were a Democrat, the "affair" would have been "gay" and OFF LIMITS to all. Yeah, he's Republican. Republican affairs are generally heterosexual and immoral whereas Democrats are.......well, Democrats. The "anything goes" and you best not make fun of it lest you be labled a bigot, judgemental, or homophobe - party.
Hey 2:56 - #3 Really? I mean, Really?
"But with all the above listed, the fact still remains that our Mayor is dumb, distracted, may have violated the Town's ethics policies (if not the letter, certainly the intent!), has lost respect of the people, lost his ability to lead with integrity, and has distracted our attention from 'pressing issues'."
I mean Really? Doing a wee bit of "judging" there, aren't we?
Very typical with the republican party, especially the right. Tellevryone what is right and wrong, and play behind the bushes.
Mr. Mayor, you're getting what you deserve.
Maybe if Mr. Mayor wasn't so busy running off with women, he wouldn't neglect his poor dog that he leaves outside locked up in a small pen with no food, no clean water, branches everywhere in cage..poor pitiful dog is so sweet too! I wish someone would go back there and see how sad and neglectful it is! -Mayors neighbors
Well that cinches it! I can understand the emails, messing around on his wife, and everything else. But leaving your dog outside? Hang this guy at the first tree, I say!
WHAT???? They don't take care of their dog????? I'm with you 7:43!
"I want to cover you in rose petals?" Easy girls fall for anything.
I see that Dumb (Christ Montgomery) and Dumber (Erskine Smith) are now running the Town of Mooresville. Good times ahead.
I agree with the anonymous above. You know.... the whole 'dumb' comment. Isn't anyone questioning the intelligence of the mayor? I mean, the whole affair and using town networking ASIDE....what about how studid he must be???
You forgot “Dumbest” a/k/a Mitch Abraham, the so-called mayor “pro tem” (what a joke that whole thing was). Yep, we've got the Three Stooges running the ship right now. put on your life vests.
The sins of the fathers are visited on the sons. The town board should be aware before they decide to run for office that they will and should be held accountable, otherwise, if you can't take the heat---and so forth.
Perhaps this town should be renamed "Peyton Place" because it's been one scandal after another and continues to be so. I wonder that these members have brains enough to tie their own shoelaces. They seem to want a town manager that they can control to be their "mouthpiece" and do their bidding even though they continue to behave like brainless twits! The Mayor should be above suspicion. As far as using public email for a personal matter---unbelievably STUPID and embarrasing for his family. We, the public, share the responsibility of electing these knotheads and I resent that an office-holder should wait to decide if he or she doesn't like it or if it doesn't meet their own expectations that they should just quit. This is a public service and should be a total commitment. Suck it up people, learn to get along and do your jobs!
So, who would you like to see as Mayor? What about the Town Charter as a whole? It hasn't been changed since the population of the town was 3,500. How can we address these larger issues of which this is just a symptom of? This is definitely worth reacting to for the moment, but this has been a continuous problem. It didn't start with Montgomery, so just removing him isn't the solution to the much larger problem.
I for one am intrigued, 10:33. What do you propose?
"Hey 2:56 - #3 Really? I mean, Really?
"But with all the above listed, the fact still remains that our Mayor is dumb, distracted, may have violated the Town's ethics policies (if not the letter, certainly the intent!), has lost respect of the people, lost his ability to lead with integrity, and has distracted our attention from 'pressing issues'."
I mean Really? Doing a wee bit of "judging" there, aren't we? "
Hey! Yes, God will judge his soul but I will judge Mr. Mayor when I go into the voting booth!
I will judge his actions, or lack of, at that time. After all, isn't that what voting is all about? And if he violate the Ethics Guidelines, he will be judged by the Town.It is quite easy to separate these two. Soul to God, Outward actions to Man. So yes, I am doing a bit of judging and if you can separate the two, you will do the same!
This man has lost his credibility and ability to influence Town politics. He has compromised whatever 'power' he may have had. As of now, he is a lame duck Mayor with little or no political clout.
Just be grateful, Mooresville, that Montgomery came along to rid you of Bill Thunberg. Montgomery will be easy to replace. Thunberg was a snake in the grass who was plotting to root in there for a nice long stay. But by some miracle, there was an upset election.
Of course Thunberg managed to do plenty of damage while he was there. You're now saddled with an albatross of a cable system that still could bankrupt your city, thanks to that crafty shyster.
The Montgomeries of this world shoot themselves in the foot soon enough. It's the Thunbergs that worry me.
"The Montgomeries of this world shoot themselves in the foot soon enough. It's the Thunbergs that worry me."
So very true! Great points!
What do I propose? Good question. I do think we need to take a good long look at how the town charter organizes our local government. And I do propose that we start the discussing as citizens how we can improve on that antiquated system. We have the power to do that. If we don't like what is happening now we have the power to change the system as a whole. I've heard it is a good ol' boy system time and time again, and that the mayor and city council are all corrupted by the system. Well, if that is the case, replacing the boys does not correct the defunct system. It simply puts new boys in to the same defunct system. What if instead we considered how we could change the system itself? So how do we do that?
We're listening, 6:08. Your point is well taken. This community has collectively been trying to bring clarity and integrity to our local government for going on 10 years now. But no matter who gets voted in, they all start engaging in behavior similar to their predecessors.
The recent mindless appointment of Erskine Smith as town manager is just one example of the type of egregious insults the citizens have had to endure throughout the years. His record is rife with incompetence, citizen unrest, and scandal, yet our elected officials have put him at the helm and in so doing have put the future of our town in peril.
So what is the solution? If the system corrupts, how do we change the system? what are your ideas? Again, we are listening.
It isn't the system that corrupts, it is the individual that allows him or herself to be corrupted. The type of people who are not "corruptable" are also unfortunately the same people that don't care to be part of politics because they are corrupt.
Another fact is that most times it takes a person who has already sold themselves out with promises to get the support needed to get elected.
If you need a fine local example of this, look to Redmond.
How do we change the system? Well, first we should probably agree that is what we want to do in the first place. If it is, we need to look at the source of the system, the Town Charter. The Town Charter hasn't been updated since 1975. So maybe we can start there?
The system the Town Charter establishes was designed for a population of about 3,500. We now number around 21,000 and growing in the incorporated city limits.
So what are some options? (And I encourage everyone to post an idea and see what we like.)
We could make a much stronger mayoral system. The pros of this are we can quickly remove any corrupt individual. The cons are the mayor has increased temptation to abuse such power.
We could make a much stronger board. The pros are much more diverse ideas. But if they become anything like the current board then removing six individuals is much more difficult and we may find ourselves trapped by our own devices.
An interesting point we could consider. Right now the mayor is part time and poorly paid. This promotes incompetent candidates because competent people are using their talents to gain incentives elsewhere.
We could take this opportunity of Husemann's resignation as a chance to make the mayor a full time job with a full salary by reducing the town manager salary by 50% and reallocating those funds to mayoral salary. It would be much more enticing to people with the proper skills and a desire to serve.
These are ideas to be built upon not the end all be all solution.
I love the idea of reducing the town manager salary by 50% and allotting it to a full time mayor. Why? Because as 6:43 pointed out, WE (the voters) can get rid of a bad mayor, but we can't get rid of a bad town manager. Only the board can, and if the town manager has some dirt on them or such, then they'll keep a bad manager around forever. We saw that with Rick McLean (17 years of incompetence and shady dealings), and we may see it again with this Smith fellow. Apparently he's not exactly respected in the community but somehow snagged this position that pays over $120,000. What do we need to do to create a push for a change in the town charter? Anybody know?
In order to create a push for that change would require starting discussions in a variety of ways and in a variety of places. Re-writing a Town Charter is not an easy task but is very doable. There are a lot of tough questions we have to ask ourselves first and we have to really assess what we value in our town governance.
In order to start this push, asking the first question of whether this is something citizens will even consider is valuable. This can be done at various neighborhood meetings, chamber of commerce meetings, and different civic gatherings across town is a good place to start.
If the idea to change the Town Charter to better fit our rapidly growing community is generally accepted then there are a plethora of other questions that we must ask ourselves. But... first things first.
Like the way you think.
hehehe. Maybe I'll run for Mayor.
Maybe we'll vote for you.
Good on you for bringing this to light. It matters not which party and such...wrong is wrong.
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