In two separate votes the Alexander City Council overturned two vetoes
presented by Mayor Hobbs at the January 27 council meeting. The vetoes were
against actions taken by council members during a special financial meeting
held January 21.
The
two vetoes tried to undo a spending freeze and a redistribution of sales tax
revenue voted on during the special meeting. During her comments explaining her
veto of the spending freeze she claimed it was "for the good of the
city."
Voting to overturn both vetoes were aldermen Farren Wadley, Brad Scott,
Andrea Bearden, Faye McKeon, Juanita Wilson and Lonny Chapman. Voting
"no" were aldermen Ceola Bailey and Sam Gregory. It takes six out of
eight votes to overturn a mayor's veto.
During the special finance meeting held January 21 five out of six
members of the Alexander city council voted to stop all non-essential spending
until the city's finances are back in order. The decision came after
discovering revenue for the fire department has been used to fund other
departments. Spending will be limited to payroll, utilities, fuel, or a
declaration of an emergency.
To help get the fire department account built up again the same five council
members decided to change how the one-cent sales tax, approved by voters in
2003, is distributed. According to the wording on the ballot the tax
"shall be distributed" with "3/4% of the revenue for the
Police/Fire Department; and 1/4% of the revenue for Parks and Recreation."
In the past the 3/4% was divided evenly between police and fire, 3/8%
each. Apparently that practice stopped, giving the fire department 1/8% and the
police department 5/8%.
McKeon told council members because the ballot measure did not specify
the 3/4% be "evenly divided" between police and fire the council can
mandate how to split it between the two departments.
They voted to change the distribution of the 3/4% giving the fire
department 5/8% and the police department 1/8%.
Attending the special meeting were aldermen Brad Scott, Andrea Bearden,
Faye McKeon, Juanita Wilson, Lonny Chapman and Sam Gregory. Absent from the
meeting were Mayor Michelle Hobbs, Recorder Sharon Bankhead and aldermen Ceola
Bailey and Farren Wadley.
Alderman Gregory voted against both motions while aldermen Scott, Bearden,
McKeon, Wilson and Chapman voted "yes."
The fire department also receives a whole one-cent sales tax from a
ballot measure approved in 2005.
In other action;
The council delayed voting on the 2014 City Council Organization Manual
until the February meeting, giving Mayor Hobbs and Alderman McKeon more time to
review it. The council voted to continue using the 2012 manual.
The council also voted to allow aldermen access to city hall. However, Mayor
Hobbs is limiting their access to the copier and their mail boxes.
It seems to me that ever since a certain person is now on the council that this site is not being maintained or updated like ituse to be. That all started around october. Now that being said it is so sad this mayor has become so obcessed with power that she would let the fire department go broke. Mayor Hobbs if you go back and look at it had done nothing but ruin that department. VETO the actions of the council that will help the fire department you have truly shown your true colors. Can't wait till the state gets ahold of your administration. I was a supporter of yours but this veto of yours shows you could careless about Alexander
ReplyDeletePB, wrong - again. For one thing NO ONE on council is webmaster. Sorry, the fact is, everyone is just extremely busy right now. I started to write a couple of times, but it was turning out so negative, I didn't post it.
DeleteHatefulness isn't the answer. Everyone is well aware of the problems that have mushroomed since Mayor Hobbs came into power. Everyone is aware it is exploding into situations so far beyond our imagination of a year ago; and now with this year still ahead, it is mind boggling what we are, or might be facing. All departments are either destroyed or so damaged it is hard to comprehend that they would come out of this in one piece. Good experienced people are gone, youthful and inexperienced people have taken their place and assist in the destruction by doing so.
Knowing who is interested in recovery for Alexander, supporting them, and while it may be difficult without knowing all the facts, trust them. You’ve seen enough at this point to know they are headed in the right direction.
This council has come this far by a lot of hard behind the scenes work that has taken a long time. It isn’t over, on the contrary it is progressing nicely. I am sure the Alexandrian will report as much as possible as soon as possible, in the meantime, let’s not do hatchet jobs on each other. Let’s focus on the real problems, band together, and recognize who the bad guys are and who the good guys are.
Positive input, suggestions and opinions are valuable. Turning on each other is destructive.