Tonganoxie — For a second time, Tonganoxie Mayor Mike Vestal is under fire for sending an obscene e-mail from a computer he uses in his duties with the city’s answering service.
Tonganoxie mayor in hot water again
The mayor of Tonganoxie is once again in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. For the second time, he used a city e-mail account to send out a pornographic message. The mayor has issued an apology for his actions. Enlarge video
The issue came to light at Monday’s Tonganoxie City Council meeting when council member Paula Crook twice referred to the e-mail.
Vestal acknowledged sending the e-mail from a computer he uses in his duties with a city answering service. He expressed contrition and said he “accepted the Lord as my savior” Sunday at West Haven Baptist Church.
“It was a mistake on my part,” he said. “I ask your forgiveness. I will never, never do this again.”
Vestal refused comment on the e-mail after the meeting, except to say it was sent to Crook’s brother.
Crook said she was with her brother, Tonganoxie police officer Danny Ruff, July 14 at an Olathe bingo parlor when he received an e-mail from Vestal on his Blackberry. The e-mail contained 14 nude photographs of the same woman.
“I’d call it hard-core nudity — hard-core porn,” Crook said. “It showed things that made me blush.”
In September 2007, Vestal admitted to sending an e-mail from his dispatch computer with the words, “Next Monday is National Female Breast Appreciation Day.” It then showed a picture of a woman and her naked breasts. Underneath the picture were the words, “Beats the (expletive) out of Martin Luther King Day! Doesn’t It?” Vestal apologized and offered to resign his mayoral post.
After the latest incident, Tonganoxie Police Chief Kenny Carpenter sent a letter to the answering service contractor saying there was evidence an inappropriate e-mail had been sent from a city computer to private computer. The letter warned that a reoccurrence would lead to the termination of the contract.
In April, the City Council approved a $1,200-a-month contract with James C. Conway doing business as J&M Answering Service for the service. The business listed Vestal’s address and it is the latest of such arrangements that all have had Vestal as an employee.
Tonganoxie City Administrator Mike Yanez said the latest e-mail contained pictures of nudity.
A city employee would have been subject to “progressive discipline” for violation of the employee policy prohibiting sending inappropriate, harassing, sexist or racist e-mails, Yanez said. A first offense would prompt a letter of reprimand and a second incident would lead to suspension without pay, he said.
As a contract consultant, Vestal was not subject to the city’s employee computer-use policy, said Mike Kelly, city counselor. The issue was handled with the letter to the contractor, he said.
The controversy comes two weeks after a lengthy council debate on funding the answering service next year. Questions were raised about the service’s value and the possibility of a conflict of interest that could arise with Vestal being both the police chief’s subordinate and boss.
The council voted 3-2 to fund the service in 2011 in part because Vestal said he wouldn’t seek re-election next year.
Crook, who supported ending funding for the service, called Monday for immediate termination of the contract.
But council member Tom Putthoff, who voted with Crook to end funding for the answering service in 2011, said the council answered questions about the service's value in the earlier discussion. And although Putthoff joined all the present council members at condemning Vestal for sending the latest e-mail, Crook got no support for her demand to cut the service’s funding.
Comments
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rbwaa (anonymous) says…
"Vestal acknowledged sending the e-mail from a computer he uses in his duties with a city answering service. He expressed contrition and said he “accepted the Lord as my savior” Sunday at West Haven Baptist Church." -- the devil made me do it!
matthewjherbert (anonymous) says…
Mike Vestal- creepy looking, creepy acting. Way to hide behind religion in your apology, that probably plays well to the Tonganoxie demographic.
imastinker (anonymous) replies…
You want to just come right out and call us backwards hillbillies?
MacHeath (anonymous) says…
I have never seen a guy so hell-bent to self-destruct. I would feel sorry for him, but he just keeps it up.
sandrat (anonymous) says…
Can't decide whether I should feel pity for the resounding stupidity, or anger toward the blatant hypocrisy. If I had to choose one, it would be the stupidity.
Here's the 411 people: everything you email, everything you save on your computer, everything you speak or text into your phone, every bit of troll-vomit you spew onto the LJWorld comments, just assume someone might try to get at of it. And if you are a politician, assume that someone is actively seeking it. Didn't Bill Clinton teach us anything? Nothing is secret and nothing is private. It's all gone, get used to it.
srj (anonymous) replies…
Your right, just ask Martellus Bennett, a player for the Dallas Cowboys, who just had nude pics released of him by an ex girlfriend.
Majestic42 (anonymous) replies…
Once it's on the net, it's entombed/embalmed/preserved forever.
Pay heed to those words, silly 14-year-olds.
thebcman (anonymous) says…
I spoke with the "Lord" about this and He said He didn't know Mike.
LadyJ (anonymous) replies…
Love it.
The_Big_B (anonymous) says…
How inbred can a City's government get?
Let me see if I got this ...
The council member was with her brother, the chief of police, at a bingo parlor, and they got a porno email from the mayor, who was running the City's answering service ... Really?
Just a hunch, but I don't think this will help attract progressive employers to the community.
The_Big_B (anonymous) replies…
Oops! I forgot ... the mayor got Saved between the time he sent the porno email and the time he was confronted about it.
The_Big_B (anonymous) replies…
PS - Might be time for an audit, too.
g_rock (anonymous) says…
I wanna know what it said! If it was good, well.....it may be worth it! But lame and loser!!!!
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…
Who the hell still sends nude pictures via email? What is this? 1998? You can't hardly Google anything anymore with some sort of porn site popping up.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) replies…
Yeah, before I made that google search, I thought "furries" were people like myself who were fond of raising lemurs and other small animals. Wow, was I mistaken!
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srj (anonymous) says…
Seems like you can get away with more when you go to church. I don't know why, if you go to church, you should have a better idea whats right and what's wrong.
BlackVelvet (anonymous) says…
Why don't they get rid of him? Jesus may forgive him but I doubt the citizens of Tongie are that patient!
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beatrice (anonymous) says…
My favorite part: "I will never, never do this again.”
I guess his apology the first time he did this just required one "never."
Did_I_say_that (DIST) replies…
September 11, 2007
"I want to make a public apology to all of my citizens of Tonganoxie if I have offended anybody. I've made a mistake and I want to own up to that mistake. It will never happen again. I just hope you all can forgive me. I would just like to carry on as the mayor of Tonganoxie and I'm very sorry," Vestal said.
You were right, bea. The first time was just one "never."
Pywacket (anonymous) replies…
Guess he was being truthful, at least. He certainly is "carrying on" as the mayor of Tonganoxie.
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BlackVelvet (anonymous) says…
How many chances does one person deserve?
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puddleglum (anonymous) says…
i thought it was obvious the tongies wanted to keep him, after the first deal.. good for them. finally there is a town that doesn't play stupid "PC is law" crap....and a lawrence paper complaining about another town's mayor? If I lived in tongie, I guess I would let him stay just to spite the b.s. spewing from lawrence.
free2besweet (anonymous) replies…
Cosigning puddleglum!
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
It used to be that the pagan nudist camp was considered the strangest place in Leavenworth County.
blue73harley (anonymous) says…
How do I get on this guy's distribution list?
Pywacket (anonymous) replies…
Haha! Way back, when I worked in Strong Hall, a rather high-ranking gentleman in the building had a file cabinet drawer full of xeroxed naughty cartoons he had collected over the years. This was way before the internet, of course. Everybody knew that stuff was there, and from time to time we would raid his files for some particular joke or other.
These days, the poor ol' guy would be run out on a rail. Back then, we all loved him. I should add--there was nothing creepy about him--he never made a pass or improper suggestion to any of us girls. He didn't leer at us or make anyone feel weird. That would make a big difference--I don't know, but maybe the Tongie guy is creepy to start with, so people aren't as forgiving of this kind of thing.
The Tongie guy's mistakes include using public equipment for personal messages, sending such messages without first being 100% certain the recipient would not be offended or irritated, being indiscreet while in an elected position, and utterly failing to tune in to the times.
It kinda cracks me up that the woman considered the pictures "hard-core porn" and claimed that they made her blush but presumably looked at all of them. Seems like her brother should know her well enough to know what she considers funny or acceptable and what will offend her.
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tomcats (anonymous) replies…
Good thing he went to church on Sunday to be saved and accepted the Lord as his savior. All is forgiven. Wish it worked that way.
tomcats (anonymous) says…
This is just to good. This guy Vestal. I'll never, never do this again until I get caught again and again. It's not that he is looking at nude pictures, it's that he is a Mayor of a city and doing it on city computer probably on city time. The city of Porn and racist great image for that city. Don't people have any pride or integrity anymore.
BigPrune (anonymous) says…
"He expressed contrition and said he “accepted the Lord as my savior” Sunday at West Haven Baptist Church."
since he said this....this means that no matter what he does wrong, he'll still go to heaven. i know many protestants that believe this way.
friendlyjhawk (anonymous) says…
HAHA we do like our public officials corpulant, corrupt and obscene, don'twe? Oh well, they just grab onto Jesus and repent.
touringdriver (anonymous) says…
OMG! He's a normal man. stone him. lol
flux (anonymous) says…
Awesome!
Clickker (anonymous) says…
Mike, .....we hardly new 'ye!!!
Buh bye!!!!
Kontum1972 (anonymous) says…
so his accident gives him free reign to use city owned equipment that tax payers pay for to send naked pics of women?
or mb this is in his contract....people do get terminated for this kind of behavior and some times jail time....
whats next child porn?
if this happened out of our city hall u better believe that some one in that building will lose their job....it applies from the top to the bottom layer.....
and this is the second time he has done this.
i guess u think he is above the law....since he was 19 years old...we didnt cause his accident....it was probably poor judgement on his part again.
Jimbecile (anonymous) says…
Well, he has God on his side. That should be the end of it. He's perfectly okay again. If you wanna act like you can still be mad when God is on his side, well then you're gonna get a spanking.
artichokeheart (anonymous) says…
Something is afoot in Tongie.,but I think it has little to do with the mayor. As I recall another vicious rumor was spread not too lang ago that was later found to be false. Why does the chief of police allow his sister,( the council woman) to read his text messages? and why are they hangin out in the casino together? Call the Inquirer we need to get the facts here.
cheeseburger (anonymous) says…
Three strikes Tongie - a mayor (Vestal) who continually shows bad judgment, a cop (Ruff) who is a loose cannon, and a city administrator (Yanez) who is inept at best. A good house-cleaning would serve Tongie well. You deserve better than what you're getting.
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somedude20 (anonymous) says…
funny how people only ask for the lord when they get caught rather than asking him for help before they do something stupid.
I guess Jesus can't save you if your not in jeopardy
funny people, lords, and I lost on jeopardy lives unprecedented
jonas_opines (anonymous) says…
"Vestal acknowledged sending the e-mail from a computer he uses in his duties with a city answering service. He expressed contrition and said he “accepted the Lord as my savior” Sunday at West Haven Baptist Church."
The Christopoly Get Out of Jail Free Card?
Boston_Corbett (anonymous) says…
Where did refudiate go? She would have observations on this topic, having been a small town mayor herself.
Irenaku (anonymous) says…
thebcman:
Love your comment above! I hate hate hate when people like this guy do things like he did and then use the Get-Ou-Of-Jail-Free-Jesus-Card. L
Danimal (anonymous) says…
This guy never learns apparently. I thought that everyone would've learned not to send porn, or even inappropriate things on work computers by at least 2002. He probably would've gotten away with it if it hadn't been for that meddling Paula Crook. In all seriousness, what he did was wrong, but I think you'll be hard-pressed to find an American, heterosexual man with an internet connection who hasn't emailed some nudey pics to his buddies. Just shouldn't have done it on a work computer.
acg (anonymous) says…
He shouldn't have used a work comp, but really it seems like much ado about nothing. Hetero dudes look at nakes chicks, its just natural. Seems to me like this Paula Crook woman is uptight, a bit whiny and likes to narc folks out for their shortcomings or mistakes. I would love to see what's hiding in her closet of secrets and vices.
blindrabbit (anonymous) says…
Wonder if this guy is fit to serve for a variety of reasons. Didn't I read in the JW a couple months ago that he was admitted to LMH for prescription drug overdose with the reported "suspicion" of self-destruction. Hope he is OK, but really it sounds like he has a multitude of issues. I think that Tongies history of bigotry has been long and well documented. I recall the BBQ restaurant that was operated there by a minority family several years ago; that was ultimately closed down because of racial abuse.
wtf7343 (anonymous) says…
Maybe we should look into other matters of the city....Yanez in charge of the committee to hire the new police chief, and one of the applicants takes him to lunch weekly? Crook having a brother on the police force....she never has anything to say about them. Or what about her personal dealings with the police and begging to keep it silent??? Check it out a report was filed but somehow it was kept out of the paper!!