Jackson Free Press

Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes called for the election of a new council president last week and thus the ousting of Ward 6 Councilman Marshand Crisler, who has occupied the post as council president for ten months, following his return from Iraq. But Stokes said Crisler is fomenting discord in the council chambers against Jackson Mayor Frank Melton. He also heavily criticized the council president for calling off last week's meeting when it became clear that the mayor had denied access to the council chambers by city TV cameras. The council later reconvened just long enough to vote on some budget matters before dispersing—putting some budget items at risk.

"Crisler's been an outstanding president ... but my concern right now is that today we need a person that will move this council, to make sure we go straight forward, to put the train back on the track," Stokes said, as he recommended Ward 5 Councilman Charles Tillman for the new council president. "I'm not saying Crisler is wrong. I'm just saying that the progress we're trying to make … we need to get on the same page, and I think Tillman at this particular time is the right person to get all the council members and the mayor on the same page."

Tillman, a retired high-school principal who won a narrow race for his council seat last year, has consistently voted in accord with Ward 4 Councilman Frank Bluntson. Both, in turn, join Stokes in forming a pro-Melton voting bloc with Ward 1 Councilman Ben Allen as the swing vote.

Tillman said he would be willing to see changes in the council leadership. "I'm here just for city government. I'm just here in the interest of the city. If the majority of the council … thinks we need to make some changes, well then, to me, all changes ought to be to make things better," he said.

Crisler, however, scoffed at last week's announcement. "I don't see how they think they're going to get a new president without first getting rid of the current president," Crisler said. "And I have no plan to step down."

Crisler joins Ward 2 Councilman Leslie McLemore and Ward 7 Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon in opposition to replacing Crisler with Tillman. Allen said he had no plans to unseat Crisler.

Members of that four-person voting bloc told the Jackson Free Press that they will vote against the measure at the April 18 City Council meeting.

"You can't have an interim president if you still have a president," McLemore said last week.

Crisler has been a rising voice of dissent on the council in the last few months, questioning both Melton's budget and legal decisions. Crisler was one of the few voices on the council last month advising the mayor to be more careful in closing down strip clubs, and to stick to procedure and law while doing so.

Melton apparently ignored this advice from Crisler, however, and last week Judge Henry Wingate ruled that the city did not follow its own procedure when it closed Babes Showclub—opening the door to a civil rights suit by club owners.

Tempers flared anew last week when Melton refused to allow the weekly council meetings to be filmed for later broadcast on the city's cable access channel.

"The council has just as much right to public access as the mayor," Crisler said, explaining that many Jackson residents cannot afford to take off every Tuesday morning to attend a 10 a.m. council meeting.

Melton replied, "I thought they were paid to take care of city business and not be movie stars. These (council members) are costing me millions of dollars in business because of their antics during City Council meetings. … Is it about taking care of constituents or being in front of a camera? Until we get some leadership at city council, I'm not putting the cameras back in that chamber."

Crisler will put the camera issue to a vote, submitting a proposal mandating that all meetings be videotaped and aired on the city's public access channel. Crisler said it was possible that at least four council members would support the cameras.

Stokes said he had no problem with the cameras.

"I think everybody supports the cameras," Stokes said. "Years ago, people who didn't want the cameras now say they want the cameras. The same people who say they want the cameras put the public comments at the end of the meeting, making the public have to wait. We know this is all about politics. We just want to take the politics out of this and create a win-win situation. You cannot halt city business because of personality."