FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Illinois – from www.bnd.com – — An anonymous flier accused Mayor Gail Mitchell [pictured] of allowing a sex convention in town last weekend, but the mayor said he had no say in the private event.

The “Beat Me in St. Louis” event at the Fountains at Fairview was for people exploring or practicing bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism in sexual relationships. The conference center and adjoining Four Points by Sheraton hotel were closed to the public from Friday to Sunday.

On Saturday, some Fairview residents received a political flier that said Mitchell allowed a “porn convention on city-owned property” and tried to keep the event a secret, and questioned whether his continued leadership would benefit the city.

Mitchell, who is up for re-election in April, said the flier was inaccurate and “the lowest political thing that somebody could stoop to.”

Mitchell said he could not stop a private event that did not violate any criminal or city code. When he found out about the event Friday afternoon, he had the Police Department and city attorney look into the matter.

“You bet I would have stopped it if I could have, because I don’t want that kind of stuff going on in my city,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell said a resident called him Saturday and said fliers were being distributed in Ward 1. The fliers attacking Mitchell were part of a packet with campaign literature from Ward 5 Alderwoman Sandy Baldwin, the mayor’s only opponent in the April election; Ward 1 Alderman Gil Klein, who is running for re-election; and Sandra K. Sheridan, who is running for city clerk against Mark Kupsky, who is currently the treasurer.

Baldwin said she did not know about the fliers attacking Mitchell or that they would be distributed with her fliers.

She also does not believe the mayor had the legal authority to stop the event.

Klein said he drove a vehicle on Saturday that had passengers who distributed the fliers. He declined to comment further until city officials meet about the issue at 6 p.m. today. The aldermanic Law Enforcement Committee will meet at the Municipal Complex, 10025 Bunkum Road.

Sheridan said she did not know about the fliers attacking Mitchell.

Days after the event, city officials are working to answer some key questions: Is the Fountains considered city-owned property? Do city officials have a say in controversial events taking place at the hotel and conference center? What is considered controversial?

For now, some aldermen said the property is city-owned because the city agreed to pay for Fountains at Fairview through a $4 million bond issue over 20 years, if developers paid for the Sheraton Four Points Hotel.

The convention is the first item on the agenda of the committee meeting, and there will be discussion on whether city leaders have a say in whether controversial events are permitted. The other item on the agenda lists a discussion on “giving notice of important information.”

Baldwin said she wants to work with Fountains management so city officials are notified in the future of controversial events coming to town.

“I hope they’ll work with us to work on some kind of stipulation to the contract about controversial events,” Baldwin said.

Christine Orr, general manager of the hotel and conference center for St. Louis-based Lodging Hospitality Management, said the city doesn’t typically have a say in what events occur at the space.

“We host a lot of different organizations,” Orr said. “This was a private organization. They rented out the hotel and conference center. We had no problems whatsoever with the group.”

Mitchell said he wished that Fountains management had notified him of the event. If any City Council members had known about the event, they should have told him, too, Mitchell said.

Baldwin said she heard of the event when a resident called her.

“The resident was concerned the city was selling itself to the devil for tax dollars,” Baldwin said.

Baldwin said the city could do without tax dollars from such events.

“I don’t want to be known as the S and M capital,” Baldwin said. “It’s not the image we want for Fairview Heights. We are a family city, and we have Midwestern values.”