By Ray King
Another month and another stalemate for the Jefferson County Quorum Court as the scheduled committee meetings broke down and never recovered.
An agenda consisting of five items, prepared by the County Judge’s Office immediately drew the ire of Justice of the Peace Lloyd Franklin Jr., who complained that under the rules of procedure ordinance adopted by seven members of the county’s legislative body in June, the meeting agenda was to be prepared by the Count Clerk’s Office.
County Judge Gerald Robinson disagreed and moved to go on with the first committee, chaired by Justice of the Peace Danny Holcomb. Franklin and Justice Alfred Carroll contested Holcomb’s role as chairman and after calling for a vote on the only item on the committee agenda, adding an employee to the tax collector’s office, Holcomb adjourned the committee.
Franklin described that as “pre-planned” to avoid a vote to recommend that the ordinance be approved.
After the meeting, Tax Collector Tony Washington was asked about that position.
Public Safety and Budget and Finance Committee chairmen Roy Agee and Ted Harden rejected repeated attempts by Franklin and Carroll to disrupt their sessions with four items recommended for approval when the full court meets next week.
After the meeting adjourned, Franklin talked about what happened.
