Ann Purzner
Encyclopedia
Ann Purzner was the mayor
of Overland, Missouri
, having been elected by five votes in April 2006. She was the subject of some controversy and was eventually recalled from office.
Robert Herman without the consent of the city council. Mayor Purzner also ran into trouble over where to hold city council
meetings. A group of citizens brought suit, asserting that Mayor Purzner deliberately scheduled the meetings in a room too small to accommodate Overland citizens who wanted to attend, and that this violated Missouri's Sunshine Law.
Mayor Purzner was later found to have misrepresented herself during her mayoral campaign by claiming to have been a registered nurse
. Mayor Purzner's false claims were made four years after a 2002 investigation by Missouri's nursing board, which found that Mayor Purzner was a medical assistant who had previously pretended to be a registered nurse and lied about attending the nursing school at Maryville University. At the end of this investigation Mayor Purzner was banned from practicing as or representing herself as a nurse.
In May 2006, St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch labeled Mayor Purzner a "liar" with "zero credibility", and sued her for exceeding her power as mayor. A judge later ruled against Mayor Purzner over the dismissal of the police chief and attorney and both were reinstated.
Mayor Purzner attempted to block the recall effort by filing suit against the election board, claiming there was no legal basis for the recall, but lost the case. Mayor Purzner was recalled on April 3, 2007, having received 1170 votes to retain her in office and 3167 votes for recall. She served just 11 months of her term.
The City of Overland set August 7, 2007 as the date for an election to choose a new mayor.
Councilman Jerry May, the City Council President Pro Tem, fulfilled the mayoral duties following the ouster of Ann Purzner in the recall election
. City councilman Michael Schneider won the August 2007 election and currently serves as mayor of Overland.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Overland, Missouri
Overland, Missouri
Overland is a city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 16,062 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Overland is located at ....
, having been elected by five votes in April 2006. She was the subject of some controversy and was eventually recalled from office.
Controversy
Immediately after taking office, Mayor Purzner attempted to replace police chief James Herron and city attorneyCity attorney
A city attorney can be an elected or appointed position in city and municipal government in the United States. The city attorney is the attorney representing the city or municipality....
Robert Herman without the consent of the city council. Mayor Purzner also ran into trouble over where to hold city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
meetings. A group of citizens brought suit, asserting that Mayor Purzner deliberately scheduled the meetings in a room too small to accommodate Overland citizens who wanted to attend, and that this violated Missouri's Sunshine Law.
Mayor Purzner was later found to have misrepresented herself during her mayoral campaign by claiming to have been a registered nurse
Registered nurse
A registered nurse is a nurse who has graduated from a nursing program at a university or college and has passed a national licensing exam. A registered nurse helps individuals, families, and groups to achieve health and prevent disease...
. Mayor Purzner's false claims were made four years after a 2002 investigation by Missouri's nursing board, which found that Mayor Purzner was a medical assistant who had previously pretended to be a registered nurse and lied about attending the nursing school at Maryville University. At the end of this investigation Mayor Purzner was banned from practicing as or representing herself as a nurse.
In May 2006, St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch labeled Mayor Purzner a "liar" with "zero credibility", and sued her for exceeding her power as mayor. A judge later ruled against Mayor Purzner over the dismissal of the police chief and attorney and both were reinstated.
Recall
Largely due to these controversies, a group of Overland residents began a recall campaign in June 2006. In response to criticism, Mayor Purzner stated, "I have always tried to do the best for the community...I am like an angel."Mayor Purzner attempted to block the recall effort by filing suit against the election board, claiming there was no legal basis for the recall, but lost the case. Mayor Purzner was recalled on April 3, 2007, having received 1170 votes to retain her in office and 3167 votes for recall. She served just 11 months of her term.
The City of Overland set August 7, 2007 as the date for an election to choose a new mayor.
Councilman Jerry May, the City Council President Pro Tem, fulfilled the mayoral duties following the ouster of Ann Purzner in the recall election
Recall election
A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended...
. City councilman Michael Schneider won the August 2007 election and currently serves as mayor of Overland.