Council: No to Payroll ... and Bodyguard Raises

Jackson Free Press

Monday, November 26, 2007

The Jackson City Council failed to approve the city payroll by a 3-to-3 vote at a special meeting this afternoon. Council President Leslie McLemore, Ward 7 Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon and Ward 6 Councilman Marshand Crisler opposed the payroll, with Ward 1 Councilman Jeff Weill, Ward 4 Councilman Frank Bluntson and Ward 5 Councilman Charles Tillman in favor. Members opposed the payroll because of controversial pay raises for Mayor Frank Melton's bodyguards Michael Recio and Marcus Wright, and two others, including the lieutenant who signed off on the raises when the mayor made him chief for three days after the last chief would not approve the raises.

Melton hotly disapproved of the vote, and vowed to veto the decision, though Crisler and McLemore say a veto likely can't work on that kind of item.

"It was a non-pass item," McLemore said. "There's nothing for him to veto."

Crisler attempted to spare the payroll by inserting an amendment that would suspend the pay increases until the city gets a confirmed police chief, but the council failed to pass the amendment with a mirror 3-to-3 vote.

The council's collective head is still swimming over the speed of promotions and position shuffling within the Jackson Police Department. Members are particularly nervous about Lt. Gerald Jones' signing off on official transfer notices for himself and three other police officers, including Recio and Wright, before Jackson Mayor Frank Melton had signed off on Jones' own position as interim chief.

"My concern is … can one person be in power 36 hours and then sign off on something like that? I would think any action that person took would not be authorized," Crisler told City Attorney Sarah O'Reilly-Evans at the Nov. 19 work session.

Melton appointed Jones interim chief Nov. 14 after removing Shirlene Anderson from the chief's office. Jones consequently did what Anderson reportedly would not: He approved raises totaling more than $46,000 a year.

The mayor appointed Recio to assistant chief, with a raise of more than $28,000 and Wright to sergeant, with a $10,000 raise. Melton also appointed Jones from the impound lot to the department's cold case unit, with a $3,500 raise, and promoted Sgt. L.C. Russell to acting captain, a $3,800 pay increase.

Melton admitted to the council on Nov. 19 that the paperwork establishing Jones as interim chief "trailed the order for him to take over as chief."

Also, on Nov. 19, McMillin named Cmdr. Lee Vance as assistant chief.

Barrett-Simon expressed alarm at the amount of staffing changes without council confirmation of any of the personnel authorizing it.

"We're in an unprecedented arrangement here," Barrett-Simon said. "It appears there is a period of time here where decisions are being made without the confirmation of the council. … I've talked to officers who have already been given directions from someone who hasn't been confirmed by the council."

Melton questioned why the council disputed the issue of the promotions, arguing that other unconfirmed department heads made decisions all the time.
"We've had some other interims in here serving in interim capacity. (Parks and Recreation acting director) A.C. Jimmerson signs all of his data concerning parks and recreation," Melton told the council.
O'Reilly-Evans told the council, "Traditionally, this city has allowed directors to act as directors on an interim basis."

"But they're city employees," Barrett-Simon countered about those interim directors.

Council President Leslie McLemore agreed with Barrett-Simon. "In this instance, part of the legal problem is that the sheriff is also the employee of Hinds County, and A.C. Jimmerson is not a public servant elected in Ridgeland or Madison," McLemore said.

O'Reilly-Evans said McMillin's appointments should be legal, since Melton signed off on them.

Previous Comments

ID: 97295
Comment: Over at the Information Center, The Clarion-Ledger dumbs this story down into a petty "squabble." They. Are. So. Bad.
Author: DonnaLadd
Date: 2007-11-26T18:33:26-06:00

ID: 97296
Comment: Well, just why did we think Melton pulled Jones from the dogpound to the chiefs office ? Vance would not fall for the game so he searched and searched until he found the lapdog that would. Wonder what deal he made with MAC ? To fire Chief Anderson after they shared so many private moments is ruthless. Jones must have been in just as much shock as the rest of Jackson when Melton elected McMillian as chief. My question is where is Recio in all this, I have not seen him on the news with the other command staff.
Author: classy
Date: 2007-11-26T18:50:39-06:00

ID: 97297
Comment: Donna, I thought that "squabble" business was just me. I thought, "I'm probably being too critical." HELLO we can't approve a budget for a city. That is not a squabble. A squabble is about what time to hold city council meeting or what we are having at the Christmas Party. This is the city budget.
Author: msgrits
Date: 2007-11-26T19:48:25-06:00

ID: 97298
Comment: I can't believe Weill voted for the raises! That's not being a very fiscally sound Republican is it?
Author: pikersam
Date: 2007-11-26T21:19:00-06:00

ID: 97299
Comment: Wait. WJTV is reporting that Recio and Wright have received some sort of retroactive pay for their promotions-last Friday. Did we know that? How do you get paid for promotions that aren't approved yet? I think I missed something.
Author: msgrits
Date: 2007-11-26T22:04:43-06:00

ID: 97300
Comment: Does SORE ever say anything that is grounded in LAW or does she always shoot from the hip? If the Council is not needed for confirmations and budget issues, why does the City bother to have them on the payroll or waste money having elections? This is screwed up from the door and that includes the appointment of McMillin by melton as Police Chief. Why would McMillin appoint his assistant chief before he was confirmed by the Council? This thing was put together by Danks & Company and the idea was to ram it down the throats of helpless tax payers and idiots. The real problem here is melton and as long as he is in office, our city will experience trauma after trauma. This is all a joke and a game with him. One of the Historic buildings on Farish St. burned down last night. It was listed on the federal register. Is this the beginning of getting rid of Farish St. house by house?
Author: justjess
Date: 2007-11-27T09:48:55-06:00

ID: 97301
Comment: By the way, where is Sherline Anderson. Was she smart enough to take her $127,000/yr until 2009 salary and go to the house? I hope she has someone who can advise her and not allow melton to continue beating her to the canvass. Pikersam, your comment about Weill voting with those other two clowns shocked me also. He probably sees it as a way of protecting McMillin's confirmation; however, if he is truly a lawyer and has any sense at all, he will leave those jokers alone.
Author: justjess
Date: 2007-11-27T09:59:02-06:00

ID: 97302
Comment: I think Haley Barbour should appoint Frank Melton to the soon to be vacant Senate seat. That way he can take it on the road. The fans he has around the State can experience for themselves FRANK MELTON MAN OF ASSTION.
Author: Slider
Date: 2007-11-27T11:30:34-06:00

ID: 97303
Comment: so let me get this right...the three that voted to approve the payroll (for) are the same three that voted not to approve payroll for all city employees except the 'jackson 4' (against)? Sound real simple...if other councilpersons have issue with the 'jackson 4' then approve pay for everyone else then dicuss the raises at another time...hell I assume all of the 'jackson 4' got a retroactive check...maybe wrong on that...
Author: Big Tee
Date: 2007-11-27T15:24:59-06:00

ID: 97304
Comment: Does anyone think that maybe some influential people got together and explained to lil melton guy that he BETTER!!!! appoint McMillin to get JPD inline?
Author: JMK
Date: 2007-11-27T20:11:03-06:00

ID: 97305
Comment: Good morning Donna. I just wanted to let you know that Recio has been demoted back to an Acting Sergeant woking in the mayors office. The order is on paper. I just wonder if Wright will remain Acting Sergeant now. You surely don't need two people pretending to be a sergeant making sergeant's pay protecting Frank. That would be a waste of money. But hey, isn't that what the city is good at?
Author: The truth
Date: 2007-11-28T08:53:03-06:00

ID: 97306
Comment: Thanks for letting us know this, Truth! This goes a long way toward resolving some of the irrational problems plaguing the City. It also lends credence to there perhaps having been some behind-the-scenes dealing to keep Melton in office. Any truth to that notion?
Author: ChrisCavanaugh
Date: 2007-11-28T09:51:38-06:00

ID: 97307
Comment: The truth WOW!!!!!! You are kidding. This is GREAT!! news. How did this come about?
Author: JMK
Date: 2007-11-28T10:09:11-06:00

ID: 97308
Comment: I have a feeling the reason he was assigned to the Mayor's office is because he has made alot of enemies within the Police Department due to thinking lil melton guy would take care of him.
Author: JMK
Date: 2007-11-28T10:13:59-06:00

ID: 97309
Comment: Chris Why in the world would ANYONE want to keep lil melton guy in office?
Author: JMK
Date: 2007-11-28T10:21:42-06:00

ID: 97310
Comment: We'd love to get a copy of that order. ;-)
Author: DonnaLadd
Date: 2007-11-28T10:57:12-06:00

ID: 97311
Comment: Hey donna, if hypothetically I had a copy of this document and I hypothetically gave it to you how would you hypothetically like to recieve it?
Author: The truth
Date: 2007-11-28T11:11:10-06:00

ID: 97312
Comment: Hypothetically, it could be faxed to 601.510-9019. Or dropped here in that hypothetical brown envelope.
Author: DonnaLadd
Date: 2007-11-28T11:26:23-06:00

ID: 97313
Comment: The Truth "Hurry Up" We are sitting on pins and needles.
Author: JMK
Date: 2007-11-28T11:39:52-06:00

ID: 97314
Comment: This is only hypothetically going to take place JMK. I know that it can't hypothetically be faxed so it will hypothetically have to be given in that hypothetical brown envelope. So it might hypothetically take a couple of hours... hypothetically....
Author: The truth
Date: 2007-11-28T11:48:36-06:00

ID: 97315
Comment: I love that hypothetical brown envelope. It hypoethically can't get enough of us. Hypoethically, of course.
Author: DonnaLadd
Date: 2007-11-28T11:49:55-06:00

Ellington

Council: No to Payroll ... and Bodyguard Raises

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