By AP/KWMU
East St. Louis, MO – The East St. Louis City Council fired its City Manager, Alvin Parks, on Wednesday.
The former councilman had been city manager since January. He was ousted by a three-member majority on the council led by Mayor Carl Officer.
The majority only recently gained its power, with the election of an Officer-backed candidate winning a seat on the council in the April election.
The majority also named a secretary in Parks' office as interim city manager.
Parks had led the city during a series of recent federal indictments, which include charges of perjury and obstruction of justice against the former Police Chief, Ron Matthews.
Matthews resigned as police chief earlier this year after being arrested on the charges. He has pleaded innocent.
In the same election that Officer gained a majority on the council, city voters also rejected a referendum to get rid of its city manager form of government and instead give the mayor's office more power.