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Hooper council members say they documented violations by mayor, seek legal path to public disclosure
Summary
A majority of Hooper council members read a detailed statement alleging documented city and state code violations by the mayor and said they will seek legal counsel on how to publish supporting documents without jeopardizing legal process; the mayor responded that she was not fully aware of the material referenced.
Members of the Hooper City Council on Dec. 4 told the public they have documented violations of city and state code they say occurred under the mayor’s administration and said the council is pursuing a legally safe way to make details public.
A council member (identified in the transcript as Speaker 2) read an extended statement on behalf of the council and the community, saying the allegations are "documented violations" and not "rumors or opinions." The statement accused the mayor of being present for closed-door sessions where concerns were raised and said the mayor "was aware of the concerns" yet failed to correct them. It criticized a social-media post the mayor published about council actions and called that post "false." The speaker said: "The mayor was present in closed door sessions. She was aware of the concerns. The current concerns were presented to her."
The statement said the council followed legal counsel and internal procedures and that the council has a legal obligation as the oversight body for the mayor. The speaker said the council will seek legal guidance to release a compiled document of issues "so the people have asked for it" but that the release must follow "the correct procedures so nothing jeopardizes the integrity in the process of the city." The speaker added the council is not seeking public confrontation but is responding to community requests for facts.
Mayor Sherry Bingham replied that she was not fully sure what list the council referred to and that she had been made aware of 'a list' — the mayor’s remarks in the transcript are brief. City legal counsel indicated they would need to examine the materials and advise on a lawful method of disclosure. Council members asked legal counsel to provide a recommendation on the process for public release.
The council did not adopt any formal resolution at the Dec. 4 meeting to publish the materials; instead members described the steps they are taking to consult counsel and to follow legal channels.
