Controversial City Council Meeting

It was a full house in council chambers June 11, 2024, as members of the current Monroe City Council met on Tuesday evening to pass agenda items before the start of the next council. And that was the focus of the majority of the citizens who spoke before council members on "why the rush" to pass items that they knew were controversial in nature. There were two items in particular that raised the were ire of those who spoke before council members was the special tax measure to be placed on the ballot in December that would be extended passed its current 2029 expiration date. There was an overwhelming opposition to passage of the item, as it was up for final adoption. Speaker after speaker led by newly elected councilmembers Bishop Rodney McFarland(District 4) and Verbon Muhammad(District 5) made passionate pleas for the current council to wait "21 days" until the next council is seated. But it appeared that the majority of council members had already made up their minds because it was passed when it was first introduced. Much of the ire/displeasure of those that attended would have been directed at Mayor "Friday Ellis" who was a disappointing no-show at the meeting. Some believed that the was "ducking" the meeting because he knew that he would have some explaining to do on why now to pass a new tax. The other item that had the majority of citizens riled up was an item giving the mayor sole control over bids of up to $250,000. Without council approval. Again McFarland and Muhammad spoke against the item as they were joined by Black Chamber Director Kenya Roberson who said the deck would be stacked against minority business owners who would not be "in a circle" businesses who the mayor can routinely go to because they are "qualified" in the field that would be needed. Roberson suggested the city assist those businesses to be qualified so that won't continually be passed over. The prevailing by those opposed to action being taken by the current council was why they couldn't wait until the new council members are seated. At the time the back and forth with council members became "spirited", even to a moment when veteran councilwoman Gretchen Ezernack told McFarland that they(council) didn't like the "veiled threats" by him, as the well known members of the community told the council numerous times that "things" could change when he and Muhammad are on the council. He even told them that how they handled the procedure on some items "was done out of order" and that he will see that the Roberts' Rules of Order will be strictly followed. Councilwoman(dist. 3) Juanita Woods also made numerous motions to have items removed such as the bringing in a hockey team, that she said was found out by her not from the mayor, but from watching the news on television. The current council has one more meeting scheduled before the terms of Carday Marshall, Sr. and Kema Dawson officially come to a close. One can only wonder how that meeting will go.

Photo City Council Meeting Black Chamber Kenya Roberson, City Council Elect Verbon Muhammad and Bishop Rodney McFarland