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Steve Myers
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The battle continues between Flint Mayor Don Williamson and members of City Council.
Now there’s a new lawsuit on the table.
The complaint lists council members Ed Taylor, Johnnie Coleman, Joshua Freeman, Carolyn Sims and Mark Horrigan as defendants.
They are the five council members who voted to use a rare forfeiture provision in the city charter.
Section1-603 allows a public hearing to show cause to remove an elected officer. In this case, Mayor Williamson.
Local activist Eric Mays asked the council to conduct the hearing.
Mays recently led an unsuccessful recall effort against Mayor Williamson.
Section 1-603 of the Flint Charter mandates the council declare forfeiture for someone who lacks qualifications, violates any provisions of the charter or is convicted of a felony while holding office.
In the complaint, Mayor Williamson’s lawyer Thomas Donnellan says the council has failed to show any of these issues exist.
He’s asking a judge to rule City Council has no right to declare the mayor’s office forfeit, and require the council to show cause to remove the mayor.
To be fair, we got City Council President Johnnie Coleman’s side. In a telephone interview he told NEWSCENTER 25, “I don’t think council did anything wrong.”
He said, “It’s up to the public to have their say.”
Coleman added, “Eric Mays just happens to be the one who led the recall effort. If it were anyone else requesting this public hearing, I would have given them the same opportunity.”
Donnellan says he expects to take this matter to court on June 22. Donnellan says he’s asking a judge to stop the City Council from any attempts to remove the mayor from office for at least 21 days.
Full Story:
http://www.weyi.com/news/local/1633606.html |
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Wed Jun 15, 2005 12:13 pm |
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