Mayor, aldermen battle for power
The Holly Springs Board of Aldermen took another stand on hiring practices and lines of authority at its May 17 meeting.
Alderman Andre Jones made the first move after alderman Dexter Shipp made a motion to send three employees to the 2022 Mississippi Rural Water Association’s training session in May.
Jones asked Holly Springs Mayor Sharon Gipson who the training is for.
Gipson said as mayor she selected the three to recommend for travel.
“The law says I supervise employees,” Gipson said.
Jones insisted that the travel request is up to the mayor and board of aldermen to select people to attend training. Gipson recently refused to add a name to a list of 11 persons attending an MML conference at the request of an alderman.
Saying he was not being disrespectful, Jones said it is up to the board and mayor to approve motions and the mayor would be breaking the law by not upholding orders initiated by the board.
One board order concerns a requirement that a process for interviewing and hiring include a board member, human resources and a department head in the interviewing process with the mayor.
Gipson has refused to follow that board order as well as some others and board members have brought it up repeatedly at meetings.
“I am the one who is responsible for them (employees) and supervise them,” Gipson said. “Week after week for almost a year we have not followed as far as what our roles are. It is something that has been around for years and years and years. You vote it up or down.”
Jones said the board has voted to hire 95 percent of those the mayor has recommended.
The alderman gave an example of an employee who requested direct bank deposit and Gipson cut a paper check.
“This form of government is effective when we are all working together,” Jones continued. “If I disagree with it, I’m not going to put you down because I disagree with you.
“The board is stagnant. You have to be able to work with each other. Everybody has an opinion. People look forward to this board meeting because they think they are going to get a show.”
“There is an attempt to usurp my power or to bully employees,” Gipson alleged.
She took umbrage at Jones insinuation that the city is not getting anything done.
“We are not getting anything done.... maybe not in your ward, but the city is moving forward,” Gipson said. “I won’t be bullied. There is a climate to punish employees who do follow my instructions. You all are in meeting after meeting grandstanding.”
She alleged aldermen were holding meetings outside of meetings.
“If you vote for something that’s illegal, I will not uphold (it),” she said.
Ward 4 alderman Patricia Merriweather weighed in on the controversy.
“Please understand, we feel the same way,” she said regarding ordinances, legality and concerns for what is best for the city.
“If we think it is something we want to promote, we vote yeah or nay,” Merriweather said. “We all love this city. We respect that at the end of the day I can’t make decisions without asking questions. And I understand I don’t think we are here for shows. It takes listening rather than talking.”
Ward 1 alderman Bernita Fountain countered Gipson’s allegations the board meets outside of regular meetings to discuss city business.
“I do not break the law. If there is not three aldermen, we are not having a meeting,” Fountain said.
Merriweather asked for city attorney John Perry to lay out the law.
“Five of you can meet and eat as long as there is not a discussion about city business,” Perry said.
Shipp’s motion to approve travel for employees to attend the meeting of the Mississippi Rural Water Association failed for lack of a second.
The failed motion set the tone for the rest of the meeting when the mayor asked for motions to hire the following:
• Kelvin Gaulding Sr.- general laborer in Buildings and Grounds at $15.50/hr.
• Charles Campbell – general laborer in Public Works at $15.50/hr.
• Calvin Jeffries – apprentice lineman in the utility department at $16.19/hr.
• James McDaniel – apprentice lineman in the utility department at $16.19/hr.
• Cedrick Kimmons – apprentice lineman at $16.19/hr.
• Irma Pat Dawson – human resources personnel director at $50,000/yr.
• Holden Pannell – gas department at $15.50/hr.
• Anthony Mayfield – general laborer Building and Grounds at $15.50/hr.
• Donnell Tucker – gas department at $15.50/hr.
• Sean Eason – public works at $15.50/hr.
• Marquez Ford – public works at $15.50/hr. Gipson asked to hold those recommendations without action. Other actions she put on hold included motions:
• to pay Javarrius Jeffries for completion of a certification.
• to pay Maurice Jeffries for completion of a certification.
• to repeal the annexation ordinance.
• to authorize two days training for Chawanna Harris with Central Service Association on the WORKS system at the utility department.
During board reports/discussion, aldermen restated their positions on a number of topics.
Shipp asked about a request made by Marshall Steak House for annexation to the city to obtain city sewer services.
“At one meeting we asked for Marshall Steak House to be annexed and it was not brought back to us,” Shipp said.
Perry explained that specific areas in the annexation plan could be kept in the ordinance at the will of the board of aldermen.
“The question is, was the case continued by the attorney handling the annexation?” he asked. “Yes, the board could vote to adopt a specific area.”
Perry said the last he heard on the matter was the case had been put off until spring.
“The mayor is opposing annexation based on it is not in the best interest of the City of Holly Springs,” Gipson said.
The mayor’s request for a motion to repeal the annexation plan died for lack of a motion.
Shipp asked if the request for training by Central Service Association at the utility department pertained to accounting.
“Everything out there is related to accounting,” Gipson said. “The system is like a bank.” Shipp made a motion for Shawanna Moton with the police department to attend basic dispatch training and the motion passed unanimously.
Six Court refunds were unanimously approved.