CLAYTON — Concerned that St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley is moving to oust Police Chief Jerry Lee, some County Council members on Tuesday fired pointed questions at Dooley's two nominees for the county Police Board.

The nominees, Calzona J. Hall and John Saracino, were asked at a council meeting if they had talked with Dooley about Lee. Hall acknowledged a conversation, but said there was no talk of an ouster. Hall did say he would not be Dooley's "yes man."

In the end, the council voted 4-3 to delay the confirmation of Hall and Saracino.

"I want more time to examine this issue," said Councilman Greg Quinn, R-Wildwood. He and the council's other Republican, Colleen Wasinger of Town and Country, were joined by Democrats Steve Stenger of south St. Louis County and Barbara Fraser of University City in voting to hold up the nominations.

Dooley, a Democrat, last month nominated Hall, 73, of Chesterfield, and Saracino, 52, of South County, to the board. Dooley made the nominations days after several county officials told the Post-Dispatch that the county executive sought Lee's dismissal because he was upset with the chief over police pay.

Ultimately, Lee's fate is in the hands of the five-member Police Board, whose other members are Jimmy L. Brown, Gregory Sansone and Floyd C. Warmann. All were appointed by Dooley.

At Tuesday's meeting, Quinn asked Hall: "Has the county executive talked to you about Chief Lee being removed?" Hall, a former deputy chief with the St. Louis Police Department, replied: "Not exactly. He expressed some dissatisfaction with Lee but not to the point where he asked me to remove him." Councilwoman Kathleen Kelly Burkett, D-Overland, then interjected: "I don't think this is appropriate for us to be grilling him."  But Stenger, who joined the council last month, encouraged Quinn. "These are important issues that need to be discussed and this is the only chance we are going to have to do that," Stenger said. Quinn also asked Hall if he would assure council members that he would not remove Lee. Hall said he could not make such a promise now.  Hall did say that Dooley had told him he was upset because his disagreement with Lee over police pay became public in a Post-Dispatch story published in December. In it, Lee said that $1.3 million that Dooley wanted to add to the police budget to hire 14 officers as part of a Youth Violence Initiative would be better spent on raises for police officers. Hall said he agreed with Dooley that Lee should not have made the statement to the paper. But he added, "I don't think that's a reason to be discharged, making a statement like that." Saracino told the council that he had had no discussions with Dooley over Lee and had paid no attention to news reports about the issue. When Quinn asked Saracino if he would remove Lee, Saracino said that was a personnel decision that would have to be determined by the entire board. Saracino, a member of the St. Louis Airport Commission, praised Lee. "I think Chief Lee has done a great job," he said.

Lee, 60, has been chief since 2004 and has been with the department for 39 years. His annual salary is $121,369.

After the interviews, Councilman Mike O'Mara, D-Florissant, moved for the immediate appointment of both nominees, but he got the votes of only Burkett and Hazel Erby, D-University City.

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