Outgoing mayor Jimmy Poss was stood up at his final meeting as city mayor with most of the aldermanic council skipping what promised to be an awkward gathering given the mayor’s recent indictment on theft and official misconduct charges.

“We don’t have a quorum so we can’t do anything,” Poss announced as he looked across the meeting table at the only two aldermen present, one those being the man who beat him in the recent mayor’s election, Josh Miller, and the other being alderman Shawn Jacobs. Absent were Danny Washer, Gayla Hendrix and Jason Murphy, the latter of whom is a departing member of the board as Murphy did not seek reelection, citing business reasons.

“Then that’s it,” Mayor Poss announced after glancing at the clock that said it was five after six. “Let’s go home. Meeting over.”

The mayor sounded his gavel for the last time; the next scheduled meeting in September to be presided over by Miller who will have taken the oath of office by that time.

The cause of the absences was unknown, although it was noted Hendrix was on vacation, something that brought murmurs as she had been in court that morning which was coincidentally the same morning Mayor Poss and his son Anthony Poss were arraigned. Although the Posses did not appear in court, their attorneys entered not guilty pleas on their behalf.

Mayor Poss, through his attorney, proclaimed his innocence and maintained the timing of the indictment which came the week of election was politically motivated. Alderman Hendrix, in a detailed statement, pointed out the grand jury normally meets that week and denied any political intrigue.

The charges against the Poss father and son come after the mayor hired his son to maintain the city’s golf course and swimming pool without getting aldermanic consent. His son was paid over $8,000 but no records were kept of when or if he worked during the six-month period. In a state comptroller report it was pointed out the mayor broke not only city policy regarding hiring but also broke the nepotism policy by hiring his son. He was censured by the city council for his actions.

During the election that followed the indictment, Alderman Miller defeated the incumbent Poss by 104 votes. Early voting numbers, generated before the indictment, were similar as the election day votes that came after the indictment, with Miller winning both rounds.