Why was the City Administrator fired after just 5 months?

Macon, Missouri, is known for its charming small-town atmosphere and beautiful landscapes. However, this sleepy town has been rocked with allegations of mismanagement & malfeasence.

In this article we will discuss this issue in detail.

Macon, Mo courthouse

Scott Meszaros was fired as Macon’s City Administrator in August 2025 after just five months on the job. Shortly after his dismissal, he appeared on KTVO in a lengthy interview to detail what he described as a toxic and unprofessional work culture within the city government.

Allegations of Corruption and Misconduct

In his interview with KTVO, Meszaros leveled several serious claims against Macon's leadership:

• Work Culture: He described an environment where staff were hesitant to voice concerns and where individual preferences of leaders often overrode established rules and facts.

• Sunshine Law and Records: He alleged that public records requests under Missouri’s Sunshine Law were being delayed or ignored by city officials.

• Direct Interference: Meszaros cited instances where Mayor Tony Petre reportedly reacted negatively when he raised concerns about questionable employee timecards and vacation carryovers.

• Abrupt Termination: He claimed he was relieved of his duties without any prior warnings or performance reviews, receiving a dismissal letter the day after an election.

The City Council’s Response

The Macon City Council released a signed, two-page statement in late August 2025 firing back at these allegations:

• Breach of Contract: The Council asserted that Meszaros breached a non-defamation clause in his employment contract by making these public statements.

• "One-Sided" Coverage: Leaders criticized KTVO for what they called "one-sided" reporting and characterized Meszaros' comments as "misleading and damaging".

• Legal Restrictions: The city cited legal restrictions on discussing personnel matters as the reason for not providing specific details on his firing, though they maintained the dismissal was in the city's "best interest".

Current Status

• Career Move: As of January 2026, Scott Meszaros has moved on to become the City Manager of Cameron, Missouri, following a 3-2 vote by the Cameron City Council.

• Macon Interim: Following his departure, the city of Macon appointed Marylu Craig as interim city administrator.

  
  

  In late August 2025, the

Macon City Council issued a signed, two-page formal statement in direct response to Scott Meszaros' interview with KTVO. The city's rebuttal focused on the following points:

• Misleading Characterization: The council, with all eight members signing the letter, characterized Meszaros' comments as "misleading and damaging" to the city's reputation.

• Criticism of Media Coverage: They explicitly criticized KTVO for what they termed "one-sided" reporting, claiming the station did not present a balanced view of the situation.

• Confidentiality Claims: City leaders stated they were legally restricted from discussing the specific details of Meszaros' termination because it was a "personnel matter".

• "Best Interests" Defense: Mayor Tony Petre maintained that the council decided to move in a "different direction" after long deliberation, believing it was in the city's best interest.

• Contractual Breach: The city asserted that by making public allegations, Meszaros had violated a non-defamation clause in his employment contract.

While the city's response addressed his public comments, it did not provide specific reasons for his firing or clarify why requested public records under the Missouri Sunshine Law had reportedly been delayed.

As of February 2026, there is no public record of a new formal state-level investigation launched by the Missouri State Auditor or the Attorney General specifically in response to Scott Meszaros’ August 2025 allegations.

While his interview sparked intense local debate and prompted a formal rebuttal from the city, the following details outline the current investigative status:

Investigative Status and Historical Context

• State Auditor Action: There has been no announcement of a "performance audit" or "whistleblower investigation" for Macon in 2025 or 2026. In Missouri, citizen-initiated audits typically require a petition with a specific number of valid signatures from local residents to trigger a state-level probe.

• Previous 2020 Investigation: A prior whistleblower complaint against the City of Macon was investigated by the Missouri State Auditor’s Office years ago. That case was officially closed in June 2020 after investigators determined no further action was warranted.

• Sunshine Law Allegations: Although Meszaros alleged that Sunshine Law requests were being ignored or delayed, there are no currently listed active lawsuits or enforcement actions from the Missouri Attorney General's Office regarding these specific 2025 claims.

Local Aftermath

• City Council Response: Instead of an external investigation, the primary "official" action was internal. The Macon City Council issued a signed two-page letter in late August 2025 that dismissed his claims as "misleading" and accused KTVO of one-sided reporting.

• Administrative Shift: The city moved forward by appointing Marylu Craig as interim administrator and has maintained that the decision to fire Meszaros was a private personnel matter in the "best interest" of the city.

• Career Move: Meszaros has since accepted a new role as City Manager of Cameron, Missouri, starting in January 2026.

The citizens of Macon, Missouri thank Mr. Meszaros for his integrity and his service. We wish him the best success as the City Manager of Cameron, Mo.