SMITHVILLE — From audit petitions to resignations, disputed business records to tax incentives for developers, Smithville’s City Hall is facing a storm of scrutiny and skepticism.
The Clay County Board of Election Commissioners confirmed this month that petitioners gathered enough signatures to trigger a state audit of the city. Petition leader Jennifer Pease framed the effort as a call for accountability.
“I’m glad that we had enough people to hold them accountable and transparent,” Pease said. “I hope this shows that they need to be more transparent.”
The audit, expected to cost $125,000 to $150,000, will be billed to the city and is likely to begin this fall once certified results are forwarded to the Missouri State Auditor’s Office.
Resignation amid tension
The audit push comes as Alderman Ronald “Triple R” Russell abruptly resigned, citing a toxic political environment and friction with Mayor Damien Boley.
“Due to recent circumstances, including the threat of impeachment proceedings and unwarranted demands to involve my family in matters unrelated to their actions, I have concluded that stepping down is in the best interests of myself, my family and the community,” Russell wrote in his resignation letter.
His parting shot underscored his alienation from the rest of the board: “I do not have the personal relationship that the other Aldermen have with Mayor Boley, nor do I desire one.”
Russell’s statement is remarkable not just for its bluntness but for what it reveals about the current climate in Smithville’s leadership. The mention of “threat of impeachment proceedings” suggests deep fractures within the governing body, raising questions about whether political disagreements have escalated into attempts to purge dissenting voices rather than resolve disputes. His reference to “unwarranted demands to involve my family” points to the degree of personal pressure and hostility at play, where political conflict has blurred into private lives.
The final line—his refusal to cultivate a relationship with Mayor Boley—reads as both a condemnation of perceived insider alliances and a declaration of independence. But in doing so, Russell makes clear he felt isolated in a governing board where loyalty to the mayor may have been the currency of influence.
For residents watching from the outside, Russell’s resignation feeds into the same narrative driving the audit: a government divided, defensive, and unable to assure citizens that decisions are being made in their best interests rather than to protect personal or political relationships.
As alleged Smithville resident and busybody Scott Allen noted "Maybe he should have a back bone like you and called the highway patrol over the threats and called the news stations with “ unwarranted demands” He has every right to make it all public but he won’t. He complied AGAIN!"
Business license controversy
Meanwhile, Mayor Boley and City Hall staff have also been drawn into controversy over a business license tied to former alderwoman Kelly Kobylski.
Alderman candidate Kristine Bunch alleged fraud earlier this year, pointing to a license provided under a sunshine request that appeared to show Boley’s signature dated 2024 — four years after Kobylski applied for COVID relief funds. Opponents accused Kobylski of misrepresenting her license status.
But city staff later confirmed the license was properly issued in 2020, blaming a software error for the misleading date. The clarification cleared Kobylski of wrongdoing but deepened frustrations about City Hall’s recordkeeping and communication.
TIF deal draws fire
Beyond City Hall disputes, Smithville’s handling of economic development has also stirred backlash.
In May, Bunch criticized the city’s approval of a tax increment financing (TIF) arrangement for 110 Smithville, LLC, a property developer. Under the deal, property tax revenue is redirected to the developer for up to 20 years, leaving schools, libraries, and other taxing jurisdictions with reduced funding.
Bunch pointed to the blighted building at the center of the deal, which remains vacant and deteriorating despite promises of redevelopment. “Smithville is a gold mine for developers and no one else is stopping them from destroying our small town,” she wrote. “The Aldermen should be voting for the people, not just saying yes, yes, yes.”
Russell’s resignation can’t be seen in isolation—it’s part of a wider climate in Smithville politics where critics often face heavy-handed pushback. His reference to “unwarranted demands to involve my family” echoes broader complaints that personal lives are being dragged into political disputes. The case of local activist Kristine Bunch illustrates the point: one of the owners of 110 Smithville LLC, a developer under scrutiny for environmental violations, attempted to secure a protection order against her after she led a protest. The petition was dismissed, but it highlights how influential figures have tried to use the courts as a weapon against outspoken critics.
At the same time, Bunch faces a defamation lawsuit from developer Shanes Crees and KCPI after she accused them—along with Mayor Boley—of corruption and misuse of public funds. While the merits of the case remain to be decided, the legal barrage against Bunch adds to the impression of a political environment where dissent is met with personal and financial pressure.
Against this backdrop, Russell’s resignation looks less like a voluntary departure and more like the culmination of a campaign of isolation and intimidation. For voters, the convergence of these threads—the audit push, developer lawsuits, and a high-profile alderman stepping down—feeds a growing narrative of mistrust, where power seems concentrated in the hands of a few and critics are made to pay a personal price.
An audit amid mistrust
City Administrator Cynthia Wagner said staff is preparing to cooperate with state auditors once notification arrives.
“We are in the middle of budget planning, so we will have to incorporate this into the budget,” Wagner said. “As for transparency, we do strive to respond to information requests.”
But with residents petitioning for oversight, an alderman resigning in frustration or and critics highlighting questionable development incentives, Smithville’s leadership faces mounting questions. The audit is poised to serve not only as a financial review, but as a referendum on trust in City Hall.
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