WLBT reported last week that the Madison County Economic Development Board is taking another look at the vote to fund a $1.2 million airport study by Warnock & Associates:
A member of the Madison County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA) may be in trouble. There was a meeting Thursday to discuss how to move forward. 3 On Your Side was barred from entering, but did manage to piece together some of the details.
The whole issue came about when MCEDA voted in 2013 to approve a 1.2 million airport study. They hired an engineering firm headed by Rudy Warnock, who's been accused - but never convicted - of involvement in a number of different scandals.
"Calvin Harris was an apparent employee of Rudy Warnock," said Trey Baxter, President of the Madison County Board of Supervisors. "The airport study was done while Calvin Harris was on the board. And there's legislation that makes that illegal."
The Mississippi Code of 1972 says MCEDA cannot contract with a business entity of which a member of their board is involved.
And in 2007, the Mississippi Ethics Commission issued an opinion that relates pretty directly to this case:
The question presented reads, "May a member of a planning and development district board be employed by a civil engineering firm which contracts with the planning and development district?"
They begin their answer, "No."
"It makes it apparently illegal for an MCEDA board member to employ his employer to do work for MCEDA," explained Baxter.
MCEDA's Attorney, Andy Clark, says Harris was, quote "very cautious" and chose not to vote on the matter at all.
Clark told Three On Your Side that when his hand written notes were typed from that 2013 meeting on the vote with Warnock's firm, they missed a detail that said Harris had recused himself from the vote. Approved minutes were then changed to reflect that.
But Baxter says that's not enough.
"By the 1998 legislation, he shouldn't have been involved at all," said Baxter.
Next Monday at 4, MCEDA is having another meeting with a special counsel to discuss the issue.
31 comments:
So Warnock finally got into the pockets of someone else?
Heads up, overheard in Wal-Mart today Madison County's favorite Elvis impersonator speaking with another gentleman. The unidentified gentleman said something along the lines of "Maybe it's something we couldn't work with Rudy on, but we could get with you about". The Elvis impersonator anxiously stated "that's what I'm talking about"......no idea what the subject was, but I started to go ahead and take my wallet out and throw it on the floor right then and there.
That is a sad, sad man. I witnessed him doing an unwarranted and impromptu Elvis impersonation at a Medgar Evers Homecoming Parade during one of his campaign du jour's.
It all has to do with how the contracting organization is created. MCEA is created and funded and a public agency and should be treated as such.
MCEDA meeting at 4 pm today ?
what happened?
BREAKING!!! Madison County Board of Supervisors oust current board president Trey Baxter and elect David Bishop @WJTV
Baxter is the only one with enough moral character to get to the truth. RW will always work in the shadows, but the truth will come out. Jail=RW!
Taking a look or taking a leak. You can bet Aunt Lootie's lace drawers if Rudy Warnock's name is mentioned anywhere close to an activity, there is a fishy smell all the way to Toledo. In fact, someone ought to start a list of projects or activities that he's been associated with that are actually legal and above board. A one-inch scrap of paper will suffice for the list, cut in half.
But....Where Oh Where was the MCEDA attorney when this took place and why did he not speak up?
http://m.msnewsnow.com/msnewsnow/db/330626/content/T9h7ZUVm
Attorney General, that I love dearly - he gives opinion. Not law," said Madison County District 5 Supervisor Paul Griffin.
Supervisor Griffin is the one who appointed Harris to MCEDA.
"I trust him with my life. And if anything was done wrong - and I think it's not - that it was by mistake. He didn't know," said Griffin.
MS's total population is 2,988,726 and that's just a growth of slightly over 30,000.
We are just a little bigger as a state than Chicago metro area and our population around our metro areas should demonstrate how really stupid the idea of another airport really is.
Indeed, Madison doesn't NEED the airport it has.
God forbid we should pool our limited resources for the good of the entire State.
So now a county with a $100 million budget is being run by a voting block of three supervisors without a college degree between them while they sideline the two supervisors who seem to have some sense.
Baxter is an egomaniac. He is only looking for ways to promote himself to move up in politics. He has his eyes on the bigger prize. Not the people he represents. He just says the right things but his motives are not to look out for others, only himself.
In 2015 everyone was jumping for joy because Bishop beat Banks. Fast forward to 2016, and 2017 and everyone is still complaining because Bishop wont be their puppet and votes the way he wants to.
Now the county paper did an article this week stating "Canton Democrats" but to the outside world, we wonder, who besides Paul Griffin is a "Canton Democrat"? Seriously, as a citizen in south Madison Co., how can one man in Canton on the BOS be in charge.
As for the two your speaking of them sidelining, don't get confused, there are several people that don't support those two. I'm not saying they wont win again, I would actually hope Baxter would run again and win. But, Jones beating JB wasn't exactly a "big deal!" Jones is a loose cannon with no clue what she is doing.
My family agrees 12:48.
Bishop is dumb with questionable motives.
Gerald Steen is playing chess while the rest are playing checkers. He's a shrewd politician (not in a good way).
Paul Griffin wanted the lake in the middle of nowhere and is friends with Rudy. Does anymore need to be said.
Shelia Jones doesn't know what she is doing, but she is trying. She is giving the best, most honest effort of any of them. Her heart is in the right place.
Baxter tries to look conservative but he's worthless.
That Journal article speaking of the Canton Democrats was not about Paul Griffin. Granted he is a democrat but he will cuss you and tell you real quick he's not and never has been from Canton.
Bishop is Steens puppet and Steen is still controlled by that long line of crooks including RW. Bishop just can't figure that out.
The whole move the airport study was nothing but a boondogle from the beginning. It is beyond stupid. Madison has a great location for the airport now. The runway can be extended by rerouting a road. Lot cheaper than building a new one. I wonder what kick backs will occur on that one. No one is going to use an airport in the Northwest part of Madison county. Corporate jets are going to go to Hawkins or Evers. Much closer to downtown Jackson where the main government is. Homeowners that bough houses that were built close to Madison airport knew the airport was there when they bought. I have no sympathy for them. The fee from Warnock is a joke. So over the top as to be criminal.
4:26 - Bishop has it figured out. He's like the fifteen year old boy cutting grass and the homeowner lady invites him in for ice water and lets him smell the poontang. Didn't take Bishop long to smell the contributors' money and develop visions of Christmas envelopes. Money talks. Honesty walks.
I've never seen any display of arrogance from Baxter. But I could have missed it since I've only attended about twelve meetings and watched another fifteen on the live feed.
Griffin is a scoundrel from way back and wears that designation like a purple heart tag, proudly. He blows smoke out his ears and up our asses.
Bishop needs to return to inscribing plaques, Griffin needs to be selling minnows and Steen needs to be hustling used trucks for NOO-Baddy Cannon. The adults in the room are outnumbered 3 to 2, for the moment.
Baxter won because Mary backed him! Now he thinks he will be Governor. Go back to being a slum lord as that's about all Baxter is qualified to do.
"Baxter won because Mary backed him!"
Aren't you the same clown who says Billingsley lost because Mary backed him? Sorry to burst that bubble, but Mary's backing doesn't get people elected. She also back Bishop and caused his whopping two-vote landslide I reckon.
If Mary will back Steen next time around, the county will have a chance.
"Attorney General, that I love dearly - he gives opinion. Not law," said Madison County District 5 Supervisor Paul Griffin."
Griffin also 'loved dearly' and appointed Calvin Harris to MCEDA. The same Calvin Harris who managed to get his employer, Rudy, the $1.2 mil gift-wrapped airport study.
12:44 and 12:48 are exactly correct! Baxter supporters are clueless as to what he is up to. And the Bishop constituents that support Baxter have no clue either. They think he is "for the people" but he has an agenda. And he went into this basically like a Tim Johnson. "Say what the people want to hear, but do the deals that you want and the deals that will make you look good. If you know something is unpopular and you know the other members of the board are going to pass it anyway, vote against it! And publicly speak about tax cuts since you know that won't pass. It makes you look like the stand-up guy for the people!"
Let's say for grins-
MCEDA has to give up 1.2 million to the county, what will all of you say about Supervisors Baxter then?
"...Fast forward to 2016, and 2017 and everyone is still complaining because Bishop wont be their puppet..."
Ahem; Nobody wants a puppet. We just don't want a whore who sells his soul and his vote to developers and contributors.
"Baxter supporters are clueless as to what he is up to. And the Bishop constituents that support Baxter have no clue either. They think he is "for the people" but he has an agenda. And he went into this basically like a Tim Johnson."
Sorry, Bishop supporter, but all you have is wild theory, nothing to back you up. Those who are opposed to Bishop have right at thirty board meetings (since he defected) showing how Bishop thinks and with whom he aligns himself. All you have is a dislike for Baxter. There's a difference and that knowledge will be reflected at the polls.
One does not run for office on a platform of honest government and then jump from an honest ship over to a skif piloted by Steen and Griffin and think people will believe him to be honest. Look at Bishop's contributors and his lawyer and you'll know who pulls his strings. And let us know when you have an inkling that Baxter is acting on behalf of any contributor or deal-maker.
@6:07
CORRECT!
Sorry 1:27. I am NOT a Bishop supporter. I'm just sick of everyone thinking Baxter is the great hero of Madison county. And yes, I do know what I'm talking about. Bishop was totally naive about how government works, and Steen took full advantage. Bishop may have actually been a good guy at one time, but Steen took advantage, Bishop got in way over his head before he even knew what was happening, and then it became too late for him. Baxter did what too many politicians do. He made promises and then didn't keep his word. That is what he did with Bishop (about a number of things). Baxter made promises (even before taking office) and then wasn't man enough to keep his word. Betrayed Bishop was easy prey for Steen.
Baxter is, in some ways, the least ethical of all of them. At least with the others you know what you are getting. He is the wolf in sheep's clothing. Just watch at see. He is another Tim or JBC.
4:46 pm
Say it- what did Baxter promise that he did not keep his word?
Dare you- you know you will not say it online !
4:46
I'm with the next guy, just say 1 thing that baxter has promised and hasnt delivered. You can't because you don't have anything. He is the only one of the five that has voted how he promised. Disprove that. Just because he is an educated businessman who may be a little more savythan most doesn't make him a dirty politician. What does he have to gain in this position? He definitely doesn't need the salary like some of the others and I doubt he just likes to hang out in Canton every other week.
Wow, I hope Trey Baxter is the person posting some of these responses, because if not, someone has a crush on Mr. Baxter!
So is everyone is south Madison county going to totally freak out when Banks gets back in his seat in a few weeks after the judges ruling.
Wonder what hires and fires will be made with that 3-2 vote??
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