By Ray King
After several tries over the past two months, a proposed ordinance setting out policies and procedures for the Jefferson County Quorum Court was approved by a committee Tuesday night.
Among other things, the proposed ordinance sets the times and dates for regular and committee meetings, stipulates that the agenda for committee meetings, regular meetings and public hearings are determined by the county judge and establishes four standing committees, Finance and Budget, Public Safety, Human Resources and Judicial.
The committee voted 4 to 2 to send the ordinance to the full court with a recommendation to approve it. Justice of the Peace Brenda Bishop Gaddy and Melanie Dumas voted no and after the meeting, Dumas explained her vote.
Voting yes were Justices of the Peace Roy Agee, Patricia Royal Johnson, Ted Harden and Danny Holcomb and Harden, the senior member of the Quorum Court talked about the ordinance)
Before the vote, Justice of the Peace Alfred Carroll, who is not on the committee and could not vote complained that the proposed ordinance “strips away the powers of the Quorum Court” including calling meetings, introducing legislation and establishing committees.
Carroll went on to say that this was the third separate ordinance that has been presented and none of the justices of the peace had any input in it.
The proposed ordinance will be voted on by the full Quorum Court when it meets Monday at 5:30 p.m. in the Quorum Courtroom at the Jefferson County Court house.
