Jessica Bess resigned from the Arnold City Council on Monday, July 7, just four months after she was elected to the Ward 3 seat.
In her resignation letter she shared with city officials and posted on Facebook on Monday, Bess said, “Recent circumstances have made it clear that continuing to serve in this environment no longer aligns with my ethical values or my personal responsibility to safeguard my health, safety and peace of mind – or that of my family. As painful as this decision is, I must prioritize what is right for myself and my loved ones.”
City Council members voted 6-0 during a closed meeting on Monday to accept Bess’s resignation. Ward 1 Councilman EJ Fleischmann was absent from the meeting.
Bess was elected on April 8, winning a three-person race and defeating incumbent Mark Hood, who had served on the council since 2017, as well as Spencer Rice.
Bess received 439 votes, or about 54 percent; Hood received 245 votes, about 30.14 percent; and Rice got 128 votes, about 15.74 percent. There was one write-in vote.
About a week before her resignation, Bess posted a video on Facebook claiming that after she raised concerns about city attorney Bob Sweeney’s conduct, her employer received an unfounded complaint about her. She said the complaint was made to silence or intimidate her and other elected officials.
Bess is a senior design and execution specialist at Edward Jones. She is married to Andrew and has two children.
According to state statute, Mayor Bill Moritz will nominate a Ward 3 resident to fill the vacant position, and City Council members will vote to appoint that person on the board. The person who fills Bess’s open spot will serve until the next April election, when Ward 3 residents will vote for a candidate to serve a one-year term to complete Bess’s two-year term.
Moritz said he is seeking candidates and has asked council members to seek Ward 3 residents to fill the position. He also said anyone who lives in Ward 3 and would like to serve on the council may email him at wmoritz@arnoldmo.org.
The Leader will provide more information about this story in a future print edition.