Earle council wants gas card back

Earle council wants gas card back

City officials concerned about ‘ out of hand’spending

news@theeveningtimes.com

Earle Mayor Carolyn Jones may have to turn in her city issued gas and credit card.

Councilman Kenneth Cross made a motion to require Jones to turn in her two cards back to City Clerk Cynthia Conner because of what he claims is excessive spending by Jones.

“I think they need to be back with the city clerk because we are spending a lot of money,” Cross said. “A lot of things are being purchased on the gas and credit card. It’s out of hand.”

Cross was joined in the vote by Councilwomen Jimmie Barham and Sarah Johnson, and Charlie Young. Councilmen Donnie Cheers and Jesse Selvy voted against the measure, while Robert Malone passed.

The city has two gas credit cards — one for Mayor Jones and one that is used to fill up police vehicles.

Jones also has possession of a city issued Visa credit card.

Barham said she agreed with Cross that there should be tougher oversight of the spending on the credit cards.

“I personally asked about the gas cards,” Barham said. “We need to talk about how the bills are being paid.”

The recent scrutiny of the gas card comes amid complaints of how Jones is using — or misusing — her city vehicle. The vehicle was spotted on numerous occasions at Southland Park in West Memphis.

The council voted to require Jones to park the car at the end of each business day and on weekends unless it was being used for city business.

Jones vetoed the measure.

A review of the bills showed that Jones mostly uses the Visa card to buy office supplies. Jones has also stopped using the credit card to buy gas.

Jones purchased gas one time in February using the credit card but there have been no charges in March. Councilman Donnie Cheers, who voted against taking back the credit cards, suggested the council instead hold a work session to discuss the matter further rather than vote off the cuff.

Jones was not present at the March meeting.

“We need to have a work session to where we can come in and discuss all this stuff and it won’t be at our regular meeting,” Cheers said. “That way we won’t be doing it in a ‘hurry hurry’ fashion. So let’s set a meeting and we can sit down and discuss everything we need to discuss about anything and come up with some facts, not just what we think.”

Cross said he would be open to having a discussion- only meeting.

“I have no problem with it,” Cross said.

By Mark Randall