Earle Mayor told to park car after hours

Earle Mayor told to park car after hours

Council votes to override veto on vehicle usage

news@theeveningtimes.com

Earle Mayor Carolyn Jones will have to restrict her use of a city owned vehicle to official city business only.

The city council voted 8-0 to override Jones’s veto of a measure passed by the council in March to enforce a city policy stating that city owned vehicles can only be used for official business Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and that they be parked at city hall on weekends.

The crackdown came after the council was shown pictures of the city owned car parked at Southland Park Gaming and racing on numerous occasions.

Councilman Kenneth Cross, who brought the matter to the council’s attention the first time, again expressed concerns that Jones’s use of the vehicle was costing the taxpayers of Earle money, and that driving to the dog track to gamble was not official city business.

“We’re not taking the car away,” Cross said. “She can use it from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for official city business only. But after 5 p.m. she needs to park it at City Hall. And if she needs to use the car after 5 p.m. for official business, she needs to have documentation that that is what she is using it for.”

Councilman Bobby Luckett, who was not at the March meeting when the vote was taken, asked Cross whether anyone on the council had spoken to Jones about their concerns.

“Has anyone gone back and talked to her,” Luckett asked. “And has she done it since the pictures were taken?”

The council voted March 8 to make Jones park the car. Jones vetoed the action on March 9.

Cross said they have pictures of Jones and the car at Southland on March 15 and witnesses.

“I have five different pictures of her at Southland,” Cross said. “And the people over there took pictures of me taking pictures.”

Jones looked to the back of the chambers to Earle Police Capt. Fitzgerald Couch and said she was being stalked.

“Take a not of that,” Jones said. “I’m being stalked.”

Jones said Councilman Donnie Cheers is the only one who spoke to her about the car being at Southland.

“Mr. Cheers came and talked to me and I told him, ‘OK. I would not,’” Jones said. “And I have not been back.”

“You were over there March 15,” Cross responded. “We’ve got pictures of it. Pictures don’t lie.”

That led to a testy exchange between Jones and Cross, with Jones gaveling Cross out of order and Cross calling for a recorded vote.

“You don’t conduct my meeting,” Jones said.

“You need to learn how to conduct a meeting,” Cross shot back.

Jones again ruled Cross out of order.

“I’m not talking to you,” Jones said.

“You can’t cut me off,” Cross responded, banging his fist on the table to rule her out of order. “I’m stating my point.”

Councilman Robert Malone tried to restore civility to the meeting.

“We need to address each other and not shout,” Malone said. “That’s true,” Jones agreed. “Look, she interrupted me,” Cross said. “You have to give respect to get respect.” Cross pointed out that the city’s handbook states that city owned cars were for official business only.

“As the handbook states, the car is to be used for official business,” Cross said. “She is using the car for her own personal use. That’s against the law.”

Luckett agreed with Cross that the car should not be driven to the dog track, but wanted to make sure Cross’s motion was not intended to take away the car completely.

“I will agree,” Luckett said. “I don’t think she needs to go everywhere in that car. “But I don’t think we should take the car if she has city business.”

Jones said she has driven to Southland Park on official business.

“I went to the dog track twice on business to pick up checks for this city,” Jones said.

“I don’t think going to the dog track at 9 or 10 p.m. at night is official business,” Cross interjected. “You were over there drinking and gambling. We have pictures of you drinking. But that’s your business. The car is my issue.”

Jones attempted to adjourn the meeting and got up and left.

“You lie,” Jones said. “Will somebody adjourn this?”

“We’re not adjourning this,” Cross answered. “We still have business to take care of.”

“You’re not taking care of nothing,” Jones testily said.

“I’m not lying,” Cross responded.

“I’m telling the

truth.”

Jones later came back in the building and accused Cross of not living in Earle before leaving again.

“Mr. Cross you live in West Memphis,” Jones said. “You don’t even live here.”

“You’re a liar,” an incredulous Cross shot back. “I don’t live in West Memphis.”

The council voted to have Malone conduct the meeting as Mayor Pro Tem in her absence.

Luckett pointed out that the council has been lenient in the past with other mayors use of a city vehicle.

“I agree with you that those cars are supposed to be used for city business,” Luckett said. “We have been lenient with every mayor since I have been here. But I myself will say we need to draw a line.”

Councilman Jesse Selvy said the city doesn’t have an ordinance requiring the mayor to park the car at city hall when not in use.

“What is the reason for doing this?” Selvy asked. “Because she went to the dog track? We’ve had other cars that went everywhere else all the time. I’ve been here 22 years. We don’t have a law for it.”

Councilman Donnie Cheers pointed out that the council voted to make former Mayor Otis Davis park his city owned car while he was still in office.

“And, if I’m not mistaken, Mayor Jones made the motion to take the car away from the last administration,” Cheers said.

“So we have precedent,” Cross added.

Cross said Jones driving to the dog track is an accident waiting to happen.

“I had nothing to do with the last administration,” Cross said. “We are talking about this administration. You have to look at the liability if she gets into an accident. We’re already in the hole. We’re already sending money to the Municipal League to represent us in all these lawsuits. She is an accident to begin with.”

Cross’s motion was seconded by Councilwoman Sarah Johnson.

By Mark Randall