East St. Louis City Council dismisses interim city manager. Appoints fire chief as replacement
This is a developing story and will be updated.
East St. Louis Interim City Manager Calvin Riley, who was hired in December, was fired during a special meeting of the city council on Friday.
The vote was 3 to 2. Council members Joanne Parks, Tommy Dancy and Charles Powell III voted to oust Riley, while Mayor Robert Eastern III and council member Ryan Cason were opposed.
The council appointed East St. Louis Fire Chief Jason Blackmon to be the new interim city manager. The vote was unanimous.
The action came a day after the BND published an article in which the mayor denied allegations by recently fired city officials who said they were dismissed for political reasons - not supporting Eastern’s re-election bid. Eastern said they were dismissed for cause. Riley has not commented on the dismissals.
Those officials also said Riley was hired Dec. 13 strictly as a hatchet man on behalf of the mayor.
On Friday afternoon after the vote, Eastern said he thanks Riley for his services and the integrity he brought with him to better the city.
“He stepped into unfamiliar, unchartered territory and did his best to help move the city forward, “ Eastern said.
He also said he wishes Riley all the best with his future endeavors.
The BND is reaching out to Riley and the council members for further comment.
Background on Riley, firings of others
Riley was hired during a special council meeting to fill in for Carlos Mayfield, who was on a leave of absence due to an undisclosed illness. Dancy, Cason and Eastern voted in favor of the hiring. Parks and Powell were not present at the meeting.
Parks said they were not properly notified. Eastern says proper procedures were followed for calling the meeting.
On Friday, Dancy joined Parks and Powell in voting to dismiss Riley.
Former Police Chief Kendall Perry was one of the city officials fired by Riley and Eastern.
Perry said he learned of his dismissal from the photograph of a letter that he received by text on Jan. 18. He said he had not previously spoken to Eastern or Riley about losing his job.
The reason for Perry’s firing was “insubordination,” the letter stated, but Perry and others say they lost their jobs because they wouldn’t pledge their support for Eastern’s reelection on April’s consolidated ballot. Eastern is being challenged by Marie Franklin and Charlie Powell III.
Eastern said Perry was not fired, but “effectively retired.”
Perry was to attend a disciplinary hearing on Jan. 17, Eastern said, but failed to show up and instead retired a day later.
Perry disagrees with Eastern’s account.
Parks has said she does not support the firings of Perry and the others as they worked daily with Mayfield and understood the direction in which city administration was trying to move the city.
She also questioned Riley’s $7,000-per-month salary since Mayfield remains on the city’s payroll at more than $100,000 annually while the city remains cash strapped.
This story was originally published March 3, 2023 at 1:02 PM.