Last week, the Madison County Board voted to reduce the powers of its president, Kurt Prenzler. On Monday, in an exclusive conversation with KMOX, Prenzler addressed the decision and the comments his colleagues made about him.
"So I was called a misogynist," he said. "Twice before the county board members had resigned, believe it or not, I actually appointed women who had been divorced with children who were single. Single moms with children I've appointed to and the county board approved them."
Prenzler said some of the accusations came after a letter he wrote endorsing a woman on the board. He said that previously, he'd written a letter about a man, commending him for being married for 49 years and having kids and grandkids, and he decided to use that same template to commend the woman.
"And I said, 'This is what a woman should be, married to her husband for 20 years, two boys,'" he said. "I didn't think that I was disparaging some and that was certainly not my intent."
Prenzler also addressed his handling of the announcement that the steel plant in Granite City may be bought out, which would potentially put 900 people out of jobs.
"I fully support any, you know, efforts that US Steel would stay here," he said. "But I just haven't made a statement. I haven't made a public statement but I've been in tune on that issue."
Prenzler said that he has plans to talk to an attorney soon about his situation.
Listen to the whole conversation on Total Information AM here:
