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.
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