Jackson Free Press

Ward 2 Councilman Chokwe Lumumba wants all Jackson City Council members present before he makes a motion to vote on conducting an investigation into Council President Frank Bluntson's alleged use of city employees for personal reasons.

During this morning's council meeting, Lumumba pulled an order on the agenda to authorize a council investigation "with respect to alleged inappropriate use of clerk's office personnel by council leadership." Bluntson denied last week wielding any influence over the employees' decision to help his daughter-in-law, Barbara Ann Bluntson, in her failed campaign for Madison County Justice Court judge.

Lumumba said he pulled the order after learning that Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes was not available for the meeting this morning.

"We need everybody there to discuss this," Lumumba told the Jackson Free Press today. "The question is, 'Do we run a ship like this?' In order to answer that question we all need to be involved and see how different people respond."

Lumumba said Bluntson needs to clear up inconsistencies between his claims and a letter the city assistant clerk sent to administration confirming that the two employees took off Nov. 2.

Lumumba claims that Bluntson initially denied that the clerks volunteered for the campaign on Nov. 2., but later changed his story, and said the clerks volunteered but had used vacation time. Lumumba added that the assistant clerk's letter gave no indication of the hours being vacation hours. One employee, he claims, marked the time as vacation time after Lumumba approached Bluntson with questions earlier this month.

"At the very least, it appears Frank made an inappropriate action in this case," Lumumba said.

Bluntson insists Lumumba is "blowing this issue out of proportion."

"People can take off and do what they want to do. You know as well as me that nobody can make people do what they don't want to do," Bluntson said last week. He added that he wasn't aware of the allegations until reporters approached him with questions last week.

Ward 1 Councilman Jeff Weill and Ward 7 Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon said they were unconvinced of wrongdoing on Bluntson's part, and would not commit to supporting the investigation last week.

Ward 6 Councilman Tony Yarber told reporters that he wanted to get the investigation underway to clear Bluntson of wrongdoing.

The council also voted 5-to-1 to support a fee increase in water and sewer bills. The fee increase includes a 13 percent increase on water bills and a 6 percent increase in sewer. Weill was the lone councilman voting against the increase, which Johnson said would amount to an additional $10 per two-month billing period for most Jackson residents.

"I've seen how badly the administration misspends money from the taxpayers, and I feel it's unnecessary to keep the water and sewer department afloat with a rate increase," Weill said after his vote.

Without a unanimous vote, the fee increase can't go into effect for 30 days. The time delay would cost the city $378,000, Public Works Deputy Director David Willis said.

Afterward, Weill conceded to vote in favor to fast track the rate increase in a separate vote.
"My thought has always been if I'm a minority vote on an issue, I'm not going to use a gimmick to keep the council from moving ahead, even if I lost," he said.

City spokesman Chris Mims said the second council vote means the rate increase will kick in Dec. 1. Willis said ratepayers will begin to notice the increase if their next bill comes due in January.