Monday night’s Jefferson County Quorum Court meeting unfolded much like recent months — with no business accomplished. The session ended before it began when seven justices refused to enter the meeting room, leaving no quorum.
Justices Reginald Adams, Melanie Johnson Dumas, Margarette Williams, Alfred Carrol, Reginald Johnson, and Cedric Jackson were all present in the building but declined to participate.
Once County Judge Gerald Robinson declared the lack of a quorum and left — along with Justices Conley Bird, Ted Hardin, Roy Agee, Jimmy Fisher, and Patricia Royal Johnson — the six absent justices entered the room to join Justice Rick Victorino for a special called meeting.
Before Robinson and the others exited, they heard from Scott Ray of FBT Bank regarding a $658,000 loan payment currently in default. While one unnamed justice previously claimed to be unaware of the loan and its payments, Ray stated that was not the case.
Robinson told Deltaplex News after the meeting that for five years the payment was never an issue — until his relationship with eight of the justices deteriorated.
Robinson added that he wants the public to know he has been working to secure the funds needed to make the payment.
After the meeting, Deltaplex News received a written statement from Justice Rick Victorino explaining why the seven other justices refused to participate in Monday night’s session. His message is shared in full below.
For the record, it is essential to clarify the recent actions taken by the county judge regarding his failure to follow the 25-8 procedural ordinance. The judge attempted to circumvent established protocol after initially sending his agenda items to the county clerk, only to later issue his own altered agenda. This deviation from the ordinance has hindered our ability to collaborate effectively as a court.
Had these procedural irregularities not occurred, we would have been in a position to unite as a court, securing the necessary nine votes to suspend the rules and advance to the third and final reading, allowing us to pass most agenda items from both sides of these critical issues.
It is important to note that, as it stands now, the only source available for paying FBT Bank is the road department budget. The judge’s request for $445,000 from the road department is insufficient, given that the total bill for FBT amounts to $658,000, leaving a significant shortfall. This would result in our payments to FBT Bank exceeding one million dollars in 2025 for lease purchases (with $330,000 already paid to FBT). When he came into office, these annual lease purchases were only $24,000.
Moreover, there is a pressing concern regarding the way the judge has been entering into contracts prior to obtaining the necessary appropriations from the quorum court, as outlined in state law. This practice raises serious questions about fiscal responsibility and governance, which we must address to ensure the county’s financial integrity.
We remain committed to transparency and collaboration and urge all parties to adhere to established procedures to foster a more effective and accountable governance process moving forward.
– Justice Rick Victorino
When asked about the adjustments to the agenda, Robinson explained that some items were added after going through committees, so those items should have been first on the agenda.
Victorino said he would grant a one-on-one interview to Deltaplex News on Tuesday to further explain why he and the seven other justices are maintaining their position.
