By Ray King
While it is a new year, anyone who might have stuck their head in the Jefferson County Quorum Court meeting Monday would have seen much of the same activity that plagued the county’s legislative body for most of last year.
That is arguing, talking over each other, disagreeing on what seemed to be the most minor points, and actually asking what they were voting on.
Justice of the Peace Ted Harden, the senior member of the court talked about the meeting and how disorganized it was.
The only difference this time was that they did manage to approve two of the items on the agenda that came from County Judge Gerald Robinson’s office.
After the meeting, Robinson talked with Deltaplex News.
The first of those was a $1 million appropriation from the County Road Emergency Fund to cover items like asphalt, fuel, oil and lubricants, other professional services and parts and repairs. That was approved by a vote of 10-3 with Justices of the Peace Reginald Adams, Roy Agee, Conley Byrd, Brenda Bishop-Gaddy, Melanie Dumas, Ted Harden, Danny Holcomb, Reginald Jackson, Patricia Royal Johnson and Margarette Williams voting yes and Justices of the Peace Alfred Carroll and Reginald Johnson voting no and Lloyd Franklin Jr., abstaining.
Also approved was an appropriation ordinance for more than $230,500 that will, among other things pay attorney fees for Robinson for lawyers he hired in legal actions against the sheriff and the Quorum Court. That ordinance was amended to add about $7,000 which is owed to attorney Kimberly Dale, who is representing several quorum court members being sued by the County Judge. Justices of the Peace Byrd, Harden and Patricia Royal Johnson voted no and the other JP’s voted yes.
