WHEELER — The Wheeler City Council voted to engage a professional mediator and pursue council-wide team building after two formal complaints were presented against Council President Karen Matthews during a public hearing.

The complaints — one filed by Interim City Manager Maddie Chesner and a second by Councilor Mary Webberich — allege recurring disrespectful conduct and interference with staff roles. The council, after hearing public comment and extended discussion, approved a motion to bring in a neutral mediator to work first with Matthews and Chesner and then with the full council; the motion also called for a structured team-building process and a review of charter rules governing council-staff interactions. The motion was declared carried by the presiding officer (no roll-call tally appears in the meeting transcript).

The complaint filings and the testimony made staff–council relations the meeting’s central issue. Chesner, who identified herself in the meeting as the city’s interim manager and sole administrator, described repeated attempts at informal resolution before filing a formal complaint and told the council, “I’m asking you to mitigate this behavior. It’s become increasingly difficult to feel comfortable in my role as city manager to complete my tasks and feel confident in completing my tasks.” Chesner also said she has secured funding for the city and asked only that communications with her be respectful and that councilors follow the charter’s limits on directing staff outside public meetings.

Matthews, the subject of both complaints, responded in part by announcing she would step back from most volunteer projects while continuing to serve on council. “Effective immediately, I will be stepping back from all projects and programs with the exception of my responsibility related to council proceedings,” she told the meeting, and said she had proposed mediation earlier. Matthews called the conflict a “personality conflict” in part and said she had sought to focus on problem solving.

Public comment was heavily weighted toward supporters of Matthews. Dozens of residents and volunteers — including people who identified themselves as long-time civic volunteers, neighbors and event organizers — described working with Matthews on parks and trail projects and urged a mediated resolution rather than sanctions. One resident noted the meeting’s time limit for speakers and the mayor reiterated that “public comment will be limited to 3 minutes each.” Numerous speakers urged the council to preserve both Matthews’s and Chesner’s roles through mediation and clearer procedures.

Council discussion emphasized restoring working relationships and clarifying roles. Several councilors said the dispute had been ongoing and recommended outside mediation and training; the city attorney advised the council that the three council members who were not parties to the complaints (including the mayor) should discuss next steps and that the council could either act in the public meeting or continue the matter to another session. The council’s final motion directed the city to engage a professional mediator to (1) meet with Matthews and Chesner, (2) provide mediation/team-building for the whole council, and (3) incorporate a review of charter provisions and interaction protocols between councilors and staff.

The council’s action also included an explicit statement that Matthews will retain her role as council president while the mediation and team-building process proceed. The transcript records that the motion “carries” as announced from the dais; it does not record a detailed roll-call vote or counts by name.

Why it matters: the dispute centers on how councilors engage with city staff and on the limits the city charter and public meeting law place on councilors’ direction of staff. Council leaders said unresolved interpersonal conflict was impairing collaboration and could erode public trust; supporters and detractors alike said they wanted a pathway that would preserve institutional knowledge while restoring working civility.

What comes next: the council directed the city to contract with a neutral mediator, schedule a team-building workshop that includes a review of charter rules about council–staff roles, and report back with a documented plan. The transcript shows multiple residents and councilors urging a prompt, documented plan so community members have a consistent public answer about how the council will prevent similar breakdowns in the future.