Appointing new department heads caused a rift among the newly-installed city council with two positions remaining up in the air.
Both the police chief and fire chief positions remain undetermined with its current leaders, Police Chief Ron Sampson and Fire Chief Terry Harber, to act out their roles until the Board of Mayor and Aldermen make its appointments.
Some council members wished to table the appointments to give new Aldermen Andre Lloyd and Sir Jonathan Rucker time to review the current department heads. However, the motion failed without the required two-thirds vote.
Alderman Aubry Brent Jr. reminded the department heads that they work at the “will and pleasure” of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
“That is understood,” said Mayor Diane Delaware. “At this meeting, we appoint these individuals according to the ordinances of our city. Therefore, let me make a statement about the will and pleasure of this board…”
“We know about the will and pleasure, Mayor” Brent replied. “I simply ask to move those items to prepare the new members of this board. I don’t think it’s fair for you to insist that this board adopt stuff that the previous board did.”
Delaware said she is not insisting anything but is merely following the city ordinances. The discussion arose in the reappointment of Board Attorney Lilli Evans-Bass.
“It is the law of the city,” Delaware said, to Brent. “It is not a law I made up. In the meeting of April 14, 2014, you yourself read this ordinance out loud to a new board and this new board acted according to the law.”
The city ordinance states that “the city attorney shall be appointed by the governing body as authorized by state law on the second Monday in April each year and shall serve until a successor is appointed.”
Delaware reminded the board that the state of Mississippi is an at-will state.
“At any time, any individual is failing at their jobs, the board can choose to remove anyone from their job (with or without cause),” Delaware said. “Mississippi is an at-will state. Any organization or business in the state of Mississippi can remove any employee at any time they wish whether they have appointed that individual today or whether they have appointed that individual at any point.”
Evans-Bass was reappointed as city attorney, following the discussion.
At that point in the meeting, Alderman Ron Johnson made the motion to table the reappointments of the city’s public works director, city clerk, police chief and fire chief.
“I make the motion to table it to give these young men (Lloyd and Rucker) time to assess,” Johnson said.
However, the motion failed with Delaware in opposition of tabling the appointments. According to the Robert’s Rules of Order, the motion required a two-thirds vote.
Public Works Director Danny Miller was reappointed to his post, with Rucker in opposition.
City Clerk Kaneilia Williams was reappointed, with Rucker in opposition.
The motion to reappoint Police Chief Ron Sampson failed with Rucker and Lloyd in opposition and Brent abstaining.
The motion to reappoint Fire Chief Terry Harber failed with Lloyd and Rucker in opposition with Johnson abstaining.
However, the majority of the board agreed to let Sampson and Harber continue their roles until they are reappointed or their successors are named.
“I didn’t get a chance to talk to these individuals,” Rucker said, explaining his opposition. “I don’t want anybody leaving here thinking I have something against anyone.”
“I don’t think anyone needs to sit around this table and feel defensive,” Delaware said, in conclusion. “I preside over the meeting, and I will preside over it within the context of the Robert’s Rules of Order.”
“You are not doing this board right,” Brent replied.
