By staff writer
It became steamy at Thursday's Gasconade County Commission meeting at the courthouse in Hermann, but it had nothing to do with the summer's hot temperatures.

This week's meeting turned ugly over remarks that were made a week earlier when the three county commissioners met at the road department at Drake.

Apparently, comments made by Southern District Commissioner Jerry Lairmore of Owensville at last week's meeting at Drake were vulgar, and offended Matt Penning, the Northern District Commissioner from Hermann. Penning wanted to talk about that scene in an open meeting, and brought it up at this week's meeting.

"I'd like to discuss what happened there last week, and I'm sorry they (the employees) had to listen to the cussing by Lairmore," said Penning. "I felt I needed to leave the room. Any laundry we air as commissioners need not be in front of our employees."

Penning added that what Lairmore said at last Thursday's meeting was "extremely unprofessional" and it "implied something about my mother."

Ron Jost, presiding commissioner from Owensville, said the way Penning has been treating the county employees has not been good.

Penning said any comments he's made at any commission meeting have been directed at the full commission, not the employees.

Penning has been saying he would like to see the county road supervisor meet with the commissioners each week before the regular meetings. The other two commissioners do not think that is necessary. But Penning thinks the meetings with the road supervisor are necessary so they can be recorded in the regular minutes.

When Penning was finished discussing last week's meeting at the road department at Drake, his father, Hermann city councilman John Penning, raised his hand.

Jost acknowledged him.
"First of all, you owe me an apology for calling my wife a b----," said Penning.

That brought Jost out of his chair, and he walked to where John Penning was sitting.
Jost asked Penning to leave, and said if he didn't he was going to call the sheriff.

Penning left the room, but then Ray (Mike) Jacquin asked Jost why he didn't keep control of the meeting last week (at Drake), instead of allowing the tone of that meeting to continue on in an ugly fashion.

Jost quickly adjourned Thursday's meeting, and the commissioners went into a scheduled closed session to meet with state auditors.

After Thursday's meeting, John Penning gave the reason why he asked Lairmore for an apology.
"He called Matt a lying SOB," said Penning. "This was in front of employees."