ST. CLAIRSVILLE — St. Clairsville City Councilwoman Kristi Lipscomb and Mayor Kathryn Thalman argued during Monday night’s council meeting over a quote from a local magazine that Lipscomb felt criticized council members.

Lipscomb began Monday’s meeting expressing her disappointment over comments attributed to Thalman in St. Clairsville Living magazine.

Under the heading “Mayor Minute,” Thalman is quoted saying: “I need partners on council who are ready to roll up their sleeves, do their homework, talk to the public and ask the hard questions. Not just show up – but show up and be prepared.”

Lipscomb said that she felt the comment insinuated that council members are neither present nor prepared.

“I don’t think I’ve missed a single meeting this calendar year, despite the fact that I was helping my siblings care for my terminally ill mother, who we buried the first part of July.

“I didn’t miss a council meeting. Even after her funeral, I continued to be prepared, not only for council meetings, but I also continued to work with Tom Murphy on some very important guidelines for our city,” Lipscomb said. “I was informed the mayor has missed numerous meetings this year for a variety of reasons, a fact that, to my knowledge, not one council member publicly commented about.”

She said it wasn’t fair for Thalman to characterize council members’ preparedness or attendance when she herself has missed council meetings.

“The article was offensive at best and borderline slanderous,” Lipscomb said.

Thalman said she was shocked Lipscomb would have taken issue with her comments.

“I want you all to be prepared and to show up and get your information, which is what I try to do every day. And as far as my not being here, again, I was in the hospital for a week, I had a torn meniscus and a torn MCL, I could not navigate the steps here,” Thalman said. “So that is the reason why I wasn’t there. If you want a doctor’s excuse, I’ll gladly go get them.”

She added that her intention with that quote was to inform people planning to run for council in November that they need to show up ready to work.

“Let me ask you, Kristi, is asking people who are on council to be accountable and show up, is that asking too much?” Thalman asked. “It’s like voting against mom and apple pie. I expect that for myself and for my employees every day, accountability and preparedness.

“I expect council to be prepared and to show up,” she added. “That message was given to anybody that might be running for council. I want them to know what they were in for. I wasn’t throwing any logs at anybody. I’m frankly very shocked that you would have taken issue with that.”

She then asked Lipscomb if she thinks the city is being run poorly.

“I think there’s a lot of room for some improvement,” Lipscomb said. “You want to make it seem like you’re working with council, but you’re doing things behind our backs.”

Thalman replied that she doesn’t believe she is doing anything behind council’s back.

Council members then went into a 45-minute closed-door session. After returning from that session, Councilman Mike Smith announced that council will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the city building.