Sunday, September 4, 2016

Updates from the Crypt

Jackson Ward 2 Councilman Melvin Priester, Jr. posted this update on Friday's meeting of the Jackson City Council on his Facebook page:


Yesterday we had two critical city council meetings.

At 4pm, we met to discuss our response to the ongoing wave of civil litigation. We received proposals from several law firms to help defend the city. Our goal right now is to have a steady hand. We took the presentations under consideration and will meet again on Tuesday. While we are laying off workers and cutting key services, it is a bitter pill to swallow that we need to hire outside lawyers but that's the reality of the situation. Step one is to get some impartial eyes in and then when we get the real facts decide the just legal strategy.

During the second meeting, we had to vote on the tax rate for the coming fiscal year. As I discussed previously, the option presented by the mayor was to raise taxes by a certain amount (3 mils). The council could then accept that amount, raise taxes more, raise taxes less, or raise taxes not at all.

We opted to go with the 3 mils proposed by the mayor but it looks like we're going to reject other parts of his proposed budget when the remainder of the budget comes up for a vote on September 13.

The meeting began with public comments from workers who are being laid off. They were rightfully devastating in their reflections on how city leadership is handling their livelihoods. I'm disappointed that the mayor chose not to attend to hear the people in this part of the process.

We then moved into a discussion about the proper tax rate. As I've said before, we have reached a point where we had to raise the tax rate in order for the city not to hit junk bond status. There was some consideration of raising the tax rate above the 3 mils proposed by the mayor but we didn't for two reasons: 1.) The negative effects and burden on the people of Jackson and on our ability to attract new businesses/residents outweigh the positives of having more to spend in the short run; and 2.) a majority of council members believe that if you give the current administration one dollar more than the minimum they need for operations right now, they will squander it. That's just where we are.

Frankly, over the last week, a curtain has been pulled back into how things are really working at city hall. Two weeks ago, I was arguing for 4 mils. Last night, I argued for 3 mils and more cuts. For the next 10 days we need to get rid of more fluff and put in place some objective oversight and benchmarks or we'll be in the same place next year needing to cut millions and with no savings.

Kingfish note: Bad news.  Anna Wolfe is gone on vacation this week.   Here are some excerpts of her report on the meeting:

Three law firms and one sole practitioner hoping to be hired to defend Jackson against a sexual harassment lawsuit involving Mayor Tony Yarber made presentations to the City Council on Friday.

Firms Adams and Reece; Phelps Dunbar; Bradley Arant Boult Cummings; and lawyer Sam Begley appeared before the council.  Rest of the article.

 Tuesday should be fun as the council will make a decision on retaining outside counsel.

14 comments:

Hand Me The Remote.. said...

Who, among the storied residents of Jackson, The City, does Priester think reads his Facebook posts? Or, for that matter, who does he think watches council meetings or the news unless its on BET?

Been There said...

"Tuesday should be fun as the council will make a decision on retaining outside counsel."

Are any of them minority owned firms? Usually black attorneys represent black plaintiffs in civil litigation against white employers and others. This will indeed be interesting.

Anonymous said...

I read and enjoy Councilman Priester's Facebook posts. They are well thought out and give a good explaination. Seems to me the Council could hire a well experienced attorney in city business and in defending sexual harassment cases for less than the other firms would cost. What the devil does race have to do with answering. Why would "black" most likely defend "black" and "white" defend "white"? Talk about segregation! Go with experience balanced with cost. I have utilized the solo practitioner and his dogged research saved us several hundred thousand. I believe he just defended a high-profile Jacksonian in a case that received a great deal of press and got the case dismissed. He works faster than any attorney we have ever dealt with. Yes, I am a citizen of Jackson.

Anonymous said...

Hey 1:11 PM, please share the name of the solo practitioner who does such a great job and is apparently reasonable as well. I am pleased that you have received such great service. This is a serious question and a serious answer would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Kenny said...

Looks like the minority mayor hasent did such a good job ???

Anonymous said...

Um, why don't we just fired Dirk Diggler and let him bankroll his own attorney(s)? After all, Wells Fargo zapped his mortgage therefor he should have some extra cash to burn.

Anonymous said...

@12:31 Do you even know who is representing the Plaintiff in the sexual harassment suit? She is represented by Louis Watson and Nick Norris, not minority attorneys. The City is hiring experience, not based upon race.

Yo Honuh, My Client Jess Horny.. said...

Replying to 1:11....

A 'well experienced attorney in city matters' will not be worth a dime in a sexual harassment lawsuit. Poking the help is not a 'city matter'. Apparently you've never been near the EEOC or a federal employment law charge, hearing or lawsuit. But, thanks for reading Priester's Facebook page.

I've already answered your question regarding what race has to do with the matter. Black attorneys, several on every street corner, are always chomping at the bit to take up an EEOC 'right to sue' case and sue a white owned business for imaginary sexual or racial harassment. It will be tough indeed to find a black attorney (Priester's focus) to defend the city in this case. But, the city has a choice to make: Either hire a black attorney or hire an attorney capable of saving the city a little money in this sordid tale of obvious guilt.

Anonymous said...

For 2:32
Exerpted from the Clarion-Ledger:
"Firms Adams and Reece; Phelps Dunbar; Bradley Arant Boult Cummings; and lawyer Sam Begley appeared before the council.
"If he did something wrong, if he did something that's harassing, that's outside the scope of his job, you would think the city, through its governing authorities, would want to separate itself from any wrongdoing," Begley said.
Begley said it's typical for law firms to charge $300 an hour in cases of this type. Considering the client is the city, Begley said, he likely would lower his fee to around $200 per hour from $250."

You Will Never Win The Street Sign Test said...

4:11 - Nobody claimed all attorneys who represent black plaintiffs are black lawyers. The suggestion made is that all black lawyers who are involved in EEO type (usually bogus) lawsuits are generally on the side of plaintiffs. These cases that start in the EEOC arena are always cases where the defendant has to prove his innocence.

Try to keep up with the convo.

Anonymous said...

Priester does all of Jackson a service with his updates. We in Ward 1 hear nothing from Ashby Foote.

Anonymous said...

So if I, an Anglo, need to hire an attorney for EEOC, I should seek out a black attorney? This seems strange to me. What if they were Asian or Native American or from Australia. Do you honestly think only black attornies should represent people in EEOC cases? I would hire the one recommended to me. Don't think their race would even occur to me when I checked them out.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure this was covered somewhere before but can someone help my ignorance out here. Preister is a city councilman and a judge? How is he allowed to hold positions in two govt branches - legislative and judicial. Just cause one is with the county and one is with the city it seems since the city is in the county there would be too much overlap. Can the constitutional law experts throw me a bone?

Anonymous said...

8:14 Melvin V. Priester Sr. is a judge and Melvin V. Priester Jr. is a councilman. They are two different people.


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