By Ray King
A special meeting of the Pine Bluff City Council has been called for Thursday afternoon at 5:30 p.m. to override a decision by the Mayor to fire the long-time director of Inspection and Zoning.
According to a resolution sponsored by Council Member Bruce Lockett, while the Mayor has the authority to appoint and remove department heads, the council can override those actions by a two-thirds vote of the total membership of the council.
The resolution goes on to say that on Monday, Mayor Vivian Flowers removed Mitzy Ruth from the position of Director of Inspection and Zoning and the council “finds that reinstatement is in the best interest of the City, its residence, and the effective and efficient operation of municipal government.”
Citing the need for “continuity of leadership, institutional knowledge, operational stability, and public confidence warrant the reinstatement of said department head.”
The resolution says the Pine Bluff City Council is “acting within its lawful authority under Arkansas law to override the Mayor’s removal decision.”
It will take six of the eight council member’s voting to approve the resolution to reinstate Ruth immediately with all the duties, responsibilities, authority, salary and benefits of the position.
