Voters threaten to sue absent Des Moines City Councilmember

THE STATE. WE’LL SHOW YOU WHERE COMING UP AHEAD. THANK YOU, ZAIN. HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN DES MOINES, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FACES AN ULTIMATUM FROM SOME OF HER CONSTITUENTS TO RESIGN OR FACE LEGAL ACTION. INDIRA SCHUMACHER HAS NOT BEEN TO A COUNCIL MEETING SINCE MARCH 6TH. KCCI SENIOR REPORTER TODD MAGEL IS LIVE OUTSIDE CITY HALL TONIGHT. TODD NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS ARE SAYING ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. YES, STACY, THEY REALLY SAY THIS IS REALLY BEYOND FRUSTRATING ING NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS AND CITY LEADERS IN HER BEAVERDALE WARD SAY THEY HAVE NOT HEARD FROM HER FOR MONTHS. AND ONE OF THOSE GROUPS SAYS IT MAY HAVE TO TAKE LEGAL ACTION TO FORCE HER TO RESIGN. NOBODY THAT I’VE TALKED TO HAS SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. WE’VE HAD NO COMMUNICATION WITH HER. WE NEED SOMEONE TO REPRESENT US. WE VOTED YOU IN AND WE CAN VOTE YOU OUT. THE FRUSTRATION WITH MISSING DES MOINES CITY COUNCIL PERSON INDIRA SCHUMACHER IS GROWING. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE SOMEONE ON COUNCIL WHO’S SPEAKING FOR US AS OF THIS WEEK. SHE’S MISSED 17 COUNCIL AND OTHER CITY MEETINGS SO FAR THIS YEAR, AND SHE’S NOT SPOKEN WITH ANYONE IN THE CITY ABOUT HER ABSENCE, NOR HAS SHE SPOKEN TO NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS WHO WANT HER TO RETURN OR RESIGN. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RACE OR POLITICAL STANCE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I WE WE SIMPLY WE NEED REPRESENTATION ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND WE DON’T HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW. WHEN SHE DOESN’T SHOW UP. JEREMY GURTIS IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOWER BEAVER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. HE IS THREATENING TO FIND WARD ONE VOTERS TO SUE SCHUMACHER AND FORCE HER TO RESIGN. SHE CONTINUES TO EARN HER $28,000 SALARY AND HEALTH CARE BENEFITS. AS A COUNCIL PERSON, BEAVERDALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT MARCUS CANNON IS ALSO FRUSTRATED AND WANTS TO REMIND VOTERS ABOUT HER OATH OF OFFICE AND MAKING SURE THAT SHE’S STILL WILLING TO BE THE VOICE FOR WARD ONE. AND IF SHE CANNOT DO THAT, THEN LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS, WHICH INCLUDE RESIGNING. AND THAT’S BEEN THE BIGGEST FRUSTRATION FROM HER, IS NO COMMUNICATION. VOTER ANGELO THORN IS SO UPSET, HE’S PUTTING TOGETHER A PETITION TO ASK FOR SCHUMACHER TO STEP DOWN. HE SAYS ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. SHE’S GETTING GREAT BENEFITS, GREAT PAYCHECK AND, UH, AND SHE’S GETTING IT FREE. I WISH I COULD HAVE THAT. IT’D BE GREAT. BUT I THINK SHE IS DEFINITELY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE BENEFITS THAT THE CITIZENS HAVE GIVEN HER. AND WE REACHED OUT TO THE CITY OF DES MOINES. THEY SAY THERE IS NO ORDINANCE OR LAW TO FORCE SCHUMACHER TO RESIGN. WE REACHED OUT TO HER TODAY, BUT WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING BACK. BY THE WAY, HER FATHER DIED BACK IN APRIL, SAID THAT SHE WAS GONE BECAUSE OF BEING HOSPITALIZED. BUT WE’VE HEARD NOTHING ABOUT THAT SINCE THEN. WE’RE LIVE DOWNTOWN TOD

A Des Moines City Councilmember faces an ultimatum from neighbors: resign or face legal action.Indira Sheumaker has not attended a council meeting since March 6. City and neighborhood leaders in her Beaverdale Ward say they have not heard from her for months."Nobody that I've talked to has seen anything like this," president of the Lower Beaver Neighborhood Association Jeremy Geerdes said. "We've had no communication with her," president of the Beaverdale Neighborhood Association Marcus Coenen said."We need someone to represent us, we voted you in, and we can vote you out," Ward 1 voter Angelo Thorne said.The frustration with missing the Des Moines City Councilmember is growing. As of this week, Sheumaker has missed 17 council and other city meetings so far this year. She has also not spoken with anyone with the city about her absence, nor has she spoken to neighborhood leaders who want her to return or resign.Back in April, Sheumaker's father told the Des Moines Register she had been hospitalized."It has nothing to do with race or political stance or anything like that. We simply need representation on the city council, and we don’t have that right now when she doesn't show up," said Geerdes.He is threatening to find Ward 1 voters to sue Sheumaker and force her to resign.Sheumaker continues to earn her $28,000 salary and health care benefits as a council person.Coenen is also frustrated and wants to remind voters about her oath of office."And making sure that she is still willing to be the voice for Ward 1 and, if she can't do that, looking at other options, including resigning," Coenen said."That's been the biggest frustration from her, and that's no communication," Thorne said.Thorne is so upset that he has put together a petition to ask for Sheumaker to step down. He says enough is enough."She is getting great benefits, great paycheck, and she is getting it all for free. I wish I could have that. She is taking advantage of the benefits citizens have given her," Thorne said.Coenen publicly asked Sheumaker to resign at Monday night's City Council meeting. It was the 17th straight meeting Sheumaker missed.Watch: Des Moines City Councilmember asked to resign during Monday's meetingThe city says there is no law to force Sheumaker to resign. KCCI reached out to her Monday, but so far, she has provided no comment.

DES MOINES, Iowa —

A Des Moines City Councilmember faces an ultimatum from neighbors: resign or face legal action.

Indira Sheumaker has not attended a council meeting since March 6. City and neighborhood leaders in her Beaverdale Ward say they have not heard from her for months.

"Nobody that I've talked to has seen anything like this," president of the Lower Beaver Neighborhood Association Jeremy Geerdes said.

"We've had no communication with her," president of the Beaverdale Neighborhood Association Marcus Coenen said.

"We need someone to represent us, we voted you in, and we can vote you out," Ward 1 voter Angelo Thorne said.

The frustration with missing the Des Moines City Councilmember is growing. As of this week, Sheumaker has missed 17 council and other city meetings so far this year. She has also not spoken with anyone with the city about her absence, nor has she spoken to neighborhood leaders who want her to return or resign.

Back in April, Sheumaker's father told the Des Moines Register she had been hospitalized.

"It has nothing to do with race or political stance or anything like that. We simply need representation on the city council, and we don’t have that right now when she doesn't show up," said Geerdes.

He is threatening to find Ward 1 voters to sue Sheumaker and force her to resign.

Sheumaker continues to earn her $28,000 salary and health care benefits as a council person.

Coenen is also frustrated and wants to remind voters about her oath of office.

"And making sure that she is still willing to be the voice for Ward 1 and, if she can't do that, looking at other options, including resigning," Coenen said.

"That's been the biggest frustration from her, and that's no communication," Thorne said.

Thorne is so upset that he has put together a petition to ask for Sheumaker to step down. He says enough is enough.

"She is getting great benefits, great paycheck, and she is getting it all for free. I wish I could have that. She is taking advantage of the benefits citizens have given her," Thorne said.

Coenen publicly asked Sheumaker to resign at Monday night's City Council meeting. It was the 17th straight meeting Sheumaker missed.

Watch: Des Moines City Councilmember asked to resign during Monday's meeting

The city says there is no law to force Sheumaker to resign. KCCI reached out to her Monday, but so far, she has provided no comment.

Voters threaten to sue absent Des Moines City Councilmember

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