Mayor chides Pepper in late-night email for missing meetings

Jul. 20—Mayor Tab Bowling chastised Councilman Hunter Pepper in a late-night email exchange sent to 30 email addresses Friday that said Pepper was missing too many meetings and that he is bringing embarrassment to the city.

The exchange began with a July 12 email from a constituent that was sent to all department directors and councilmen, other city officials, several people not in city government and a Decatur Daily reporter. The email requested information about an annexation at Upper River Road, which the council approved Monday.

Pepper responded to the constituent and the other 29 addressees late Friday afternoon that he would miss Monday morning's council meeting because he had been "completely unaware that my family vacation was this coming week beginning Sunday and ending next Sunday."

In response, the mayor wrote in a 9:21 p.m. email that also went to all the email addresses:

"You have been missing numerous meetings and work sessions. Being unaware of a planned family event doesn't hold water for me, Mr. Pepper. It means you can be a day or two late to a vacation as you serve as a City Councilman, considering your recent absences.

"I encourage you to get your priorities in order, especially considering the continued embarrassments you continue to bring on our city during this historic time of growth."

Pepper responded to the Bowling email with a 10:02 p.m. reply, also to all of the email addresses:

"Since we're going to do things this way.

"Every single meeting I have missed (five including the one on Monday) have been for legitimate reasons.

"Last week, I tested positive for Covid-19 (mild case) and was back up and running in a few days. Backtrack a little further, I have medical receipts showing each time that I have missed a meeting I either went to my doctor or an urgent care where I was seen by a nurse practitioner."

Pepper said Tuesday he was surprised by the mayor's email. He said the five missed meetings occurred since November when his second year as the District 4 councilman began.

"I find it highly inappropriate that our mayor sent such an email and that he sent it out to multiple people. It's embarrassing," Pepper said.

Pepper, 20, took office in November 2020 as the city's youngest-ever elected official. On July 2 he argued with Decatur police when they sought to confiscate fireworks from his home. The half-hour exchange with a patrol officer and a sergeant she called for assistance was captured on body cameras, which The Daily viewed after a public records request.

"Everybody makes mistakes and I'm not proud of mine," Pepper said. "It's embarrassing (Bowling) is making a mountain out of a molehill. He told me he's tired of seeing me on Facebook but, if I'm not mistaken, he has made Facebook mistakes himself."

When asked for a comment on Tuesday, Bowling said, "I just don't see anything good in going any further with Mr. Pepper."

Councilman Billy Jackson said he was surprised at Bowling's approach to Pepper.

"It's sort of embarrassing our mayor would send an email like that," Jackson said. "The mayor has no control over Hunter Pepper. Nobody controls Hunter Pepper except his constituents."

Jackson said Bowling's email to Pepper "comes off as if he's saying 'I'm your supervisor,' and that's just not the case. The mayor was off base and out of line."

Councilman Carlton McMasters said the lesson from the Bowling-Pepper email exchange is "Don't hit 'Reply All,'" referring to the numerous people included in the email chain.

However, Bowling on Tuesday said he intentionally sent the email to all those on the recipient list.

Councilman Kyle Pike said he wouldn't have a problem with the mayor emailing or talking to Pepper directly about his attendance, but he believes Bowling should have sent the email to Pepper only instead of so many people.

"I don't know the mayor's intent," Pike said. "Was it to embarrass (Pepper)? I hope that's not the case."

Council President Jacob Ladner said he saw the email thread Friday night.

"My only comment is I have no comment on all of that foolishness," Ladner said.

— bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432. Twitter @DD_BayneHughes.