Cameron City Councilwoman Becky Curtis confronts Economic Development Director Terry Rumery regarding alleged divisive rhetoric during Tuesday's meeting.

Hopeful economic development news leads to call for resignation less than an hour later

Economic Development of Cameron Director Terry Rumery’s update to the Cameron City Council Monday seemed like a victory lap, until Cameron City Councilwoman Becky Curtis asked for his resignation. 

Less than an hour removed from announcing a new hotel, furniture store and a variety of other economic progress updates, Curtis requested his resignation while referencing Rumery’s alleged divisive rhetoric.

“Instead of trying to clarify the councilman’s comments, instead of contacting the councilman to bridge the communication gap, and calm the councilman’s concerns, you demoralized it - the rumor - in your report. I made contact with the business in question, and assured them the city council appreciates what they do in our community and their expansion efforts have the council’s full support,” Curtis said. “This is what you should have done. Instead, you drove a wedge. Your job is to help strengthen relationships, not drive wedges between them. You added fuel to an unnecessary fire. This sort of unnecessary behavior could jeopardize the relationship between this city, it’s businesses and future businesses, which is the opposite of what you have been hired to do. Cameron can do better. Cameron deserves better.”

Curtis proffered two options: ending an agreement between Cameron and the Cameron Area Chamber of Commerce, which provides funding for Rumery’s firm, or Rumery withdraw himself as director of EDOC. Rumery countered by saying much of the recent divisive rhetoric came from Curtis. 

While referencing comments Curtis made last year regarding lack of progress from EDOC, Rumery said her comments disparaged the Missouri Coffee Company. He also rejected her comments diminishing his role in securing funding for Cameron’s animal care center.

“You shouldn’t be making light of companies that make investments. They pay a lot of money for their investments. They pay a lot of money in taxes,” Rumery said. “… You made a comment about the animal shelter, and whether I had anything to do with that. You said ‘I have another opinion.’ There is no other opinion. There may be an opinion given, but that’s all it is to me. There is only one person involved in that project with Speaker [Bob. F. Griffin], and that was me.”

Rumery said the malicious misinformation does not stop with discussion inside Cameron City Council chambers, and often extends to discussions on social media. He said social media continues dogging EDOC Representative Mark Garges, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for the seat occupied by Councilman Alexander Williams last Spring.

“Mr. Garges has been mentioned time and time again about a prospect that was here, and went to a local restaurant and asked a waitress how she liked Cameron. The waitress stated ‘She hated it and couldn’t wait to get out,’” Rumery said. “The lady who asked that question was here touring Cameron with her company. When she got into her car to go to another community, she told the folks in the car that Cameron was out due to the comments from the waitress. In social media, this is often brought up. The person writing that said ‘Mark lied, and it didn’t happen.’ It did happen, several years ago. The lady told the story to me, and a room full of people from the other community. The person saying this is simply misrepresenting the truth. Words have consequences.”

The Council also:

·      Finalized placing a 3-cent sales tax on the April municipal election ballot

·      Approved a permit for operation of The Dream Inn

·      Held a special meeting regarding economic updates from EDOC

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