By Ray King
An effort by the Jefferson County Quorum Court to finally adopt a policies and procedures ordinance which they had failed to do since January fell short again Monday night but several members of the county’s legislative body chose to take a different path, one the county judge described as illegal.
At issue was a document prepared by County Attorney Terry Wynne which would have allowed the Quorum Court to adopt legislation for a 30-day period, or until July 26, which work was done to create an ordinance that would be good through the end of 2024. That ordinance was hammered out in committees earlier this month and Justice of the Peace Ted Harden said he thought everyone agreed to it.
With three members absent, that ordinance failed 6-3 with Justices Harden, Danny Holcomb and Roy Agee voting yes and justices Reginald Adams, Alfred Carroll, Melanie Dumas, Brenda Bishop-Gaddy, Reginald Johnson and Margaret Williams voting no. Justice Lloyd Franklin Jr., delayed his vote, then moved to wipe out the earlier vote and send the issue back to committee for more discussion.
County Judge Gerald Robinson rejected that idea and adjourned the meeting, telling Deltaplex News this.
With Justice Alfred Carroll acting as chairman, the seven members who had voted no on the previous ordinance approved an ordinance that they had created, and Franklin explained their actions.
The group also approved the tax back legislation for the Flint Group and voted to add a number of ordinances, some of which had been on the agenda since January, to the agenda for the July meeting.
Robinson said all the actions taken by the group were illegal and null and void.
