JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
First, allegations that contracts have not been awarded fairly.
"There may be individuals in code enforcement with relatives who have contracts," said City Attorney Peter Teeuwissen at Wednesday's city council meeting.
Then, questions about whether the envelopes containing Community Improvement bids have been opened in the wrong place, possibly by the wrong hands.
"It's clear the council has very legitimate concerns about how Community Improvement operates. Certainly, if this is true, we will put an end to it," Teeuwissen also told the council.
These issues concerning the city's Community Improvement Division have held up certain council members from passing the claims docket. Ward 1 Councilman Quentin Whitwell moved to pass part of the docket, but to withhold payments related to grass and weed work until inquiries could be made.
The motion failed, but it led to a spirited exchange between Mayor Harvey Johnson and Council President Frank Bluntson.
Mayor Johnson opposed the idea of passing only part of the claims docket. He says venders who have done their work should not be penalized. Bluntson gave Johnson a curt thank-you, and moved on.
"We're not getting into an argument," Bluntson said.
"It seems like we are," Johnson replied.
"I did not recognize you, Mayor," Bluntson fired back.
"Be respectful Mr. President, or is that candidate for mayor," Johnson said.
Last week, Councilman Bluntson told WLBT News about his intentions to challenge Mayor Johnson for the mayor's seat in 2013.
Mayor Johnson supports passing the entire claims docket.
"To hold the claims docket hostage, we have bond payments, we have vendors that have to be paid," he said.
Part of the argument centers around Edgar Patton, President of EZL Patton, a company hired to trim the overgrowth and board up two Jackson houses back in November. He wasn't paid, because code enforcement said the work was shoddy.
Patton disagrees.
"I'm gonna call it what it is. I think it's just biased," he told us.
"(Mr. Patton's) problem was brought to our attention. We recognized after that, potentially additional problems in Community Improvement," Councilman Whitwell said. "I'm going to be calling for an investigation of some of the ongoings in community improvement."
While the claims docket was not passed Wednesday, Mayor Johnson said that the issue with Patton's work was resolved, and he is approved to be paid.
The allegations against Community Improvement will be re-addressed at the next council meeting.
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