Mayor Danny Jones publicly called on a Charleston city councilman to resign Monday night.
At the tail end of an hour-long meeting, Jones brought up Councilman Bernard Slater, who represents North Charleston in Ward 1. Slater wasn't present at Monday's meeting and also missed council's meeting on Feb. 21.
Jones said his office was overwhelmed with complaints about Slater after reports surfaced about a domestic violence protection order against him from his ex-wife, as well as a recent arrest after he was found digging through people's trash and strewing it around a city street.
"It's just time to go. It's time to get the hell out," Jones said during the meeting of Slater.
"He's not here, but I wish he was, because I'd say it to his face," Jones said.
He added that it's unfair to the city's 25 other council members, as well as his Ward 1 constituents.
"[They] don't deserve to be associated with somebody like that," Jones said.
Jones said he's never called on someone to resign during his tenure as mayor, and it's something he doesn't take lightly.
"I just want him gone. We can't put up with this," Jones said.
Attempts to reach Slater on Monday were unsuccessful. Both phone numbers on file for him were disconnected or not in service.
Because he's an elected official, the city would have to follow procedures laid out in state code about removing Slater from office if he won't voluntarily resign, City Attorney Paul Ellis said.
If City Council were to initiate removal proceedings, the matter would go to Kanawha County Circuit Court and Slater would have a chance to respond. If the circuit court determines that the procedural requirements have been met to initiate removal, the matter would go to West Virginia Supreme Court. The court would appoint three judges to set up a hearing on the matter, then decide whether to order Slater's removal, which he could appeal back to the Supreme Court if he chose.
According to previous Gazette-Mail reports, Slater faced DUI charges at least twice before his election in 2014.
In 2009, he was charged with DUI and possession of a controlled substance.
A criminal complaint stated that Slater was found slumped over in his car in the parking lot of Southmoor Apartments in South Charleston. Police found a Xanax pill in his car, and he allegedly said he didn't have a prescription for it. Those charges, all misdemeanors, were dismissed as part of a deal with prosecutors.
Slater was charged with another DUI in 2010, after a car crash on Interstate 64/77, near the Greenbrier Street exit in Charleston. He also was charged with having no proof of insurance and driving with his license revoked because of his previous DUI. Slater pleaded guilty to DUI and driving on a suspended license. The insurance charge was dropped as part of a plea, according to court documents.
After his election, Charleston police allegedly found text messages from Slater to a man who was charged with murder for providing heroin to a woman who later died. That man, Steven Coleman, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and a drug charge. At that time, city officials said they had no plans to try to remove Slater from office; Jones said then that the councilman had "already marginalized" himself.
Last March, Slater was charged with second-offense DUI and driving on a revoked license. He was stopped by a police officer on Charleston's East End who said he saw Slater driving "well below" the speed limit at 3:30 a.m. on a Friday.
Slater told Charleston police in August 2016 that he was beaten up at a West Side convenience store at 2 a.m. He said a group of men attacked him after he stepped in to stop them from bullying another man.
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.