The Jackson City Attorney had a complete meltdown during the special meeting of the City Council yesterday as the City Council sparred with her over what else but the garbage contract.
The City Council twice voted down a one-year emergency garbage contract with Richard's Disposal although the Mayor did not place the item on the agenda. City Attorney Tori Martin repeatedly asked the City Council to go into executive session but it refused to do so. Ms. Martin said (1:01:30) the City Council did not have the authority to approve or reject a contract that was not presented by the Mayor. Then the fun began.
Councilman Vernon Hartley asked Ms. Martin if there was a lawsuit. The City Attorney said "yes, we do and it's an empty lawsuit based on the actions of some of the members of this council" as she raised her voice at the Ward 5 Councilman. She then ripped into Mr. Hartley: "I have been up all night with a sick child throwing up (1:01:40) and I came here this morning to do my best to answer as many questions as I could for this City Council." She berated them for ignoring her advice and harming the city as well as the City Council in litigation. The Mayor sat silently through it all. Councilwoman Angelique Lee asked to go into executive session but no one would second the motion.
Ms. Martin told the City Council any votes for to award or reject the contract yesterday would not count. Mayor Lumumba tried to speak but Mr. Banks saved him the trouble by calling the question. The City Council voted 4-1 to reject the contract. Mr. Banks moved to reconsider. Ms. Martin (1:07:30) interrupted Mr. Banks and warned him taking such action was "illegal." The motion to reconsider passed on a 4-2 vote.
Mr. Hartley (1:08:00) said he had never seen an emergency that did not involve a natural disaster. He said "This is just poor planning." Upon hearing these words, Ms. Martin blew up at the Councilman: "You've got to be kidding. Do you know how much work I've spent on that RFP?" Pointing her finger at Mr. Hartley, she raised her voice even more: "For you to say that I've purposely wasted my time." She yelled "That is not accurate, that is not accurate" as she pounded the podium with her fist and then stormed out of the Council chambers. The Mayor again sat silently through it all. Mr. Hartley calmly continued "This is a self-created emergency."
Meanwhile, the City Attorney left City Hall to recover. Chief of Staff Dr. Safiya Omari channeled her inner George and blocked the doors so the media could not follow her.
Note: The discussion begins at 42:00.
Kingfish note: Why is the City Attorney always answering questions about the contract? Where, oh where, is the Public Works Director?
44 comments:
The way the mayor and his staff are acting, one can only assume the amount of “contributions” they accepted from Richard’s is astronomical. They are desperate to push this agenda “irregardless”
How did the council keep a straight face ?
rules for radicals accuse the other side of the doing the thing you are doing. example: taking bribes. I have worked with the city attorney before she couldn't find her way out of paper sack. She is an empty suit. She caused more problems than she fixed. The mayor has thrown her to the wolves. Dude is sick.
@10:15 - agreed. Anytime someone makes baseless claims out of the blue like that, you can almost guarantee they are projecting their own problems. The mayor is just pushing this one company too hard and it’s becoming obvious there is something going on that he isn’t sharing with the council or the public.
Bless her heart. I am woman; hear me roar .... until I need to get emotional then you have to cut me some slack.
This belongs in a dog collar cage match. Mid-South style. While we’re at it, maybe we can get an undercard tag team match between the Road Warriors and the Freebirds.
Mayor just sitting there and watching. Totally inept and has zero leadership skills.
Ridiculous. Lumumba only hires spoiled babies like himself.
It seems I remember on another post someone stated "These people can't run anything"
Now that we have one more completely unprofessional outburst from no less than the City Attorney along with the continuation of this pissing contest, I agree with the previous poster.
The city attorney is a whiner-
That is the guilty conscience hard at work. The towers in Hinds County seem to be crumbling and it's about friggin time. Can't wait to see how many elected have taken PPE money and used it for their own personal gain. THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS should be next.
These people were selected.
And continue to be selected.
So we must conclude the residents approve.
Jackson has a public works director?
We used to laugh at Stokes. Now Kenny is the voice of reason in Jackson.
I still fear the idea of Lumumba making it to Congress. He would immediately join the squad.
stokes, with his lawsuit, might just take down the mayor. should have just went
and kissed the ring rather than make wild comments that just poked the bear
I may disagree with Councilman Lee on almost everything, but she did a hell of a lot better running a council meeting than Virgi ever has.
Where's Virgi?
10:26, agree the Mayor has thrown her to the wolves. I too have worked with her and found her bright (in her lane) and professional. Seems more like she is not particularly well suited for the city attorney position and all of its politics.
Factor in 10:28’s astute observation and she should immediately save her career and find somewhere else to land. Not sure if the mayor is taking bribes or whether Richards has simply agreed to employ the Mayor’s cronies, but its the same thing. Wasn’t that now-quiet Cipher guy supposed to wash trucks or some such? Same word on the street with a couple of other people in the Mayor’s orbit.
Say a prayer for her and for the city, and the county (multiphase jail ?? Like doesn’t anyone study operational costs. Sheesh).
The personification of uppity
I’m glad the council voted the contract down.
The mayor doesn’t have the authority to enter into this new contract and any business which relies on the mayors naked word will not prevail in any future court proceeding.
WM should join Stokes suit and a forensic accountant should be engaged to review every dime the mayor and his business partners received. Richard’s accounts should be subpoenaed as well.
Money is at the root of this….always is
It appears the council and citizens of Jackson don't appreciate the abject brilliance of the mayor and the stunningly something staff work of the mayor's minons.
10:39 : The tag teams should at least be alive today. Only two left ! Lol, R/R Express is on their retirement tour.......
Complete lack of professionalism.
The mayor seems to require his top staff members to throw temper tantrums, just like the ones he throws.
Somewhere along the way, he learned that this behavior is a proper way to fight for what he wants, perhaps by watching his father in court.
Got a kick out of the onscreen transcript that's obviously contracted out to somebody who's never heard of Jackson, Miss. - otherwise "Mayor Shokway" Lumumba would never fly. Knowing how thin-skinned he is, betcha this isn't likely to happen again.
This was about as bad of a public meltdown as PW Director Keisha Powell openly sobbing during a council meeting some years back. But at least in that situation I could sympathize with her, since it really was in the midst of an emergency. This attorney chick lost all her cool for no reason other than getting pushback on defending Boss Lumumba's attempt to feather his nest.
Lawd!
City Council ain't having any of that.
Decides to stand firm and get some instead!!
WLBT is saying Richard's Disposal will begin picking up trash for the city of Jackson on April 1st, so why does the council vote even mater?
No need for a Zoo, when we have this to watch.
Seems like a judge is going to determine "who's got the power" on several points.
I don't care how much work she put in on the RFP - that's her job. This is not about all about her.
There is no such word as "irregardless" but there is also no such set of child like elected officials as those in Jackson.
Stokes is suddenly the voice of reason, stewardship, professionalism and integrity.
Think about that for a moment or two. Then pinch yourself to see if you're dreaming. No, you're not.
This should be a reality show…. You couldn’t make it up.
A STOOL SHOW
Mr. Richards nor Waste Management should get this contract. This job should fall under the State of Mississippi and posted. The employees will get Blue Cross Health Insurance, PERS, paid vacation, sick leave, comp time and fall under the government.
Mr. Richard and Waste Management can contract temporary assignment if one does not show up for work.
"Omari blocked the doors so that the media couldn't follow her..."
So members of the public / media were prevented from leaving the room, against their will? Pretty sure a criminal charge could be filed....
@1:57pm Actually, I'm working on a script for a television sitcom based on these particular "characters" - which they are, and it will be called "Jackson". It's gone be a scene, and hilarious.
So, did Detroit finally get here?
Richard's Disposal says they've received go ahead from Mayor and have set up for business in Jackson, though the trucks aren't up here yet. It is a trashy fixture in the boy mayor's contract that Richard's gets "start-up costs" even if contract is cancelled. Is that called the "Socrates Clause"? GO WM, lay 'waste' at court!
I wish Grizzell would slouch a little lower until he disappears completely. If you're not going to serve your constituents... you should just disappear.
Thanks Virgi.
Just go ahead and prep the backyard burn pile.
@1:07 PM
Me personally, I didn’t think too much of the movie “Beetlejuice.” Not sure how anyone could think much of it.
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