COLUMBIA — Special Business District Board members are standing behind their district executive director, Carrie Gartner, despite letters of complaints issued by Cool Stuff owner and former board member Arnie Fagan.
In a statement issued by Special Business District Chairwoman Mary Wilkerson, she said the board has full faith in Gartner's "consummate professionalism, intelligence and dignity.
"She is admired by her peers, respected by her colleagues and, most importantly, does the job we ask her to do and does it very well," she said in the newsletter, which was sent to all business and property owners in The District.
The statement was the result of a closed-door executive session of the Special Business District Board on Tuesday afternoon. The board decided to hold the executive session after Fagan distributed a flier and e-mail that included photographs of Gartner parking on the street instead of in the garage in which she is designated to park. Wilkerson closed the meeting, citing an exception of the Missouri Sunshine Law that says meetings may be closed if the "hiring, firing, disciplining or promoting of particular employees will be discussed."
Fagan said he spotted Gartner parking at street-side metered spots — where customers could park — after Gartner issued an e-mail to Special Business District members asking them to restrict their employees from parking in such spots.
Special Business District Vice Chairman Mike Vangel said he couldn't talk about the specifics of the meeting but that "several issues were discussed."
No votes took place during the meeting.