Citizens’ Advisory Board seeks advice following allegations

A Feb. 23 letter from a Springfield resident and government observer raises legal concerns about the composition of the Citizens’ Advisory Board, the body that advises council on its use of Spring Forward SGF tax funds.

At its meeting on Feb. 25, CAB Chair Erin Danastasio asked city staff for advice on how to move forward in the face of the allegations.

The letter by Linda Simkins points to two CAB members – Danastasio and Christina Angle – who do not reside within city limits, despite a charter requirement of residency for all city board members.

Simkins’ letter also alleges conflict of interest in votes by board members and charges that the eight-member board violates the city charter, which requires nine under the city charter – thus, the council resolution that created it is in “direct and blatant violation” of the charter, she wrote.

While the council resolution allowed members to have either resided or worked in the city for at least a year, Simkins pointed out a charter requirement from Section 15.5 that states board members “shall have resided in the city not less than two years immediately prior to their appointment, be qualified voters therein, shall reside in the city during their term of office, and shall take the oath prescribed for city officers.”

The council resolution that formed the CAB also permitted it to be an eight-member board, while the city charter requires boards to have nine members, Simkins pointed out.

“The violation exposes the city to risk of a declaratory judgment suit with preliminary injunction,” Simkins wrote. “As a taxpayer with standing, I could file one and am confident a court would declare the resolution in violation of the charter and potentially void ab initio, i.e. ‘void from the beginning.’”

Simkins said these violations could call into question its suggestion to Springfield City Council to make a $30 million allocation to fund a proposed downtown convention and events center, as well as funding for parks and trails and the Springfield Art Museum renovation and expansion.

The CAB makes recommendations to council on expenditures from a 10-year, half-cent portion of a three-quarter-cent sales tax passed by voters in November 2024.

Mayor Jeff Schrag said in a Feb. 24 interview that he is looking into  Simkins’ allegations.

He noted the CAB was formed by action of the previous Springfield City Council through a resolution.

“I know they spent some time deciding on the current composition,” Schag said. “It falls into that category of don’t speak ill of the dead or your elders. I try not to speak ill of previous public servants.”

Following Schrag’s interview, city spokesperson Cora Scott said in an email that the mayor is sending a memorandum to council members for consideration at the March 9 meeting to provide an opportunity for public discussion on the city’s boards and commissions.

Conflict of interest
In the Feb. 25 CAB meeting, Danastasio apologized to her fellow board members for her vote on one of the funding decisions that the Simkins letter cited as a conflict. Danastasio is a member of the Visit Springfield, Missouri, Board of Directors, and the first funding decision made by the CAB was to provide $30 million in matching funds for a proposed downtown convention and events center.

“From my shoes, I think I was looking at it as it was a project being brought forth from the city,” she said. “I don’t own a hotel; I’m not personally benefitting from it, and honestly just didn’t think that it would be a conflict.”

Quigley said council has the final authority on funding decisions, and the board is merely advisory.

CAB member Angle asked City Attorney Jordan Paul for clarification on conflicts of interest, saying that all members serve in a lot of capacities in the community on a mostly volunteer basis, and CAB itself is another example.

“None of those represent any kind of personal benefit to us,” she said.

Paul said the charter provision deals mostly with contracts overseen or administered by a board, which is not the case with the CAB, which merely recommends appropriations of tax funds to council.

CAB member Clif Smart said Danastasio has nothing for which to apologize.

“We wouldn’t be on this board if we weren’t significantly engaged in the community in dozens of different ways, and that brings the experience you bring and the work that you do,” he said.

He said he is no longer a lawyer, but nevertheless he offered his perspective.

“We’re an advisory board. We do nothing except give them our opinion, and our opinion is based on our collective experience living in Springfield for decades and working in dozens of things to benefit the city,” he said.

Added Smart, “When you get attacked by people like this, it’s because we’re doing really good work, and I think you should view it as a compliment.”

Residency question
Danastasio said at the start of the meeting that she wanted to resolve the residency question.

“A couple of us do not reside within the city limits – it’s something that when I personally applied I asked about,” she said. “I just want to make sure that that is resolved.”

CAB member Leslie Forrester was also singled out in the letter for a conflict with her membership on the Visit Springfield, Missouri board.

“I think I put it in the application – I don’t know, that was a while ago,” she said in an interview.

Forrester added that she is proud to serve on the tourism board, but if the two are in conflict, she’ll need to make a decision.

During the meeting, Danastasio said she also wanted to address the question from the letter about the number of board members.

Deputy City Manager Collin Quigley offered a reply, saying the board was established under ordinance by City Council, and the city attorney offered a legal opinion before the board was established. That opinion is now being reviewed, he said.

“It’s entirely in the City Council’s hands at this point, so you continue to serve until you’re replaced on the board, like any board,” he said. “The board is still seated, and that’s really a decision of City Council.”

Regarding the number of board members, Danastasio suggested adding an additional board member, “sooner rather than later.”

“Again, that’s really up to City Council’s discretion and their timeline,” Quigley said.

In an interview prior to the CAB meeting, Angle said she could spit from her front door and hit the city line. She said she would follow whatever process the city needs to take. She admitted that she does not claim to be an expert on the Springfield city charter;

“I’m just here to serve, and if that doesn’t fit the rules, I’ll step aside gracefully,” she said.