McComb Enterprise-Journal

With McComb Mayor Zach Patterson absent, Selectman Wade Lamb looks over the city charter on Thursday. (Aaron Rhoads | Enterprise-Journal)

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Special meeting a no-go: Officials’ absence makes Thursday evening session moot

By Timothy Woerner | Enterprise-Journal
Posted: 11/21/08 - 11:34:45 am CST

A special called meeting of McComb’s city board failed to occur Thursday when Mayor Zach Patterson and Mayor Pro Tem Melvin Joe Johnson were absent, leaving attending selectmen without a presiding officer to call the meeting to order.

The meeting, called by selectmen Wade Lamb and E.C. Nobles, had a three-item agenda:

• Discussion of the suspension of City Attorney Rachel Michel.

• Discussion of the suspension of former City Attorney John H. “Bubber” White.

• The employment status of City Administrator Jim Storer.

Patterson left a letter for Lamb and Nobles with copies for all selectmen at City Hall explaining his absence as the result of a cold he is battling, requiring that he stay at home to recuperate.

The mayor also said his position on the agenda’s three matters was unchanged.

“None of the three items listed, in my opinion, warrant the urgency of a special call meeting of the governing body,” Patterson wrote. “Besides, my position on all three items is well known by both of you and my position remains unchanged.”

Johnson said in a phone interview Thursday that he was out of town for a prior engagement through his work with the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Selectman Robert Earl Smith, also absent, said via telephone he was in Jackson on a personal errand.

The attempted meeting also marked the return of Selectman Danny Esch, who joined Lamb, Nobles and Selectman Bob Maddox in attendance. Esch has been absent from city board meetings for several months while recovering from a July heart attack.

Events unfolded with Storer handing out copies of Patterson’s letter about 10 minutes after the proposed 5:30 start time and reading his copy aloud.

“How do you want to handle this?” asked Esch, turning to Lamb.

“I don’t know,” Lamb replied, reading through the city’s charter and turning to interim city attorney Angela Taylor Miller for advice.

Area resident Ronnie Temple, who frequently attends board meetings, stepped up to the board room table with a printout on open meetings laws to show board members, and 15 to 20 other people — also familiar faces at board meetings and the mayor’s “chats” — walked out of the room, with one person stating, “If there’s no meeting, let’s go.”Miller’s opinion was that a new mayor pro tem could not be appointed at a special called meeting under the city charter. Without existing presiding officers, the special meeting could not be held.

“Based on the absence of the mayor and what the charter says,” Lamb said to the remaining audience after further consultation with Miller, “I think it’s everybody’s opinion that there’s nothing we can do at the moment. I’m sorry y’all came. Our next regular meeting will be Tuesday night.”the mayor and what the charter says,” Lamb said to the remaining audience after further consultation with Miller, “I think it’s everybody’s opinion that there’s nothing we can do at the moment. I’m sorry y’all came. Our next regular meeting will be Tuesday night.”

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Let us know what you think about this story or topic.

To Just keep Watch wrote on Nov 22, 2008 10:34 AM:

" That's Right. You just keep watch! Just and watch at election time and see what happens to Patterson, Robert Smith and Melvin Joe. The Black community has been bamboozled by these dudes for the last time. Yeah, you just watch! Brandy and Ray J won't be able to help this time! "

re e.c. wrote on Nov 22, 2008 12:35 AM:

" yeah, e.c. don't you know the only way to be your own man is to do what zack says? "

Mr. Ed wrote on Nov 21, 2008 10:05 PM:

" Where you at mayor? "

literacy at its best wrote on Nov 21, 2008 5:19 PM:

" Really now.. shouldn't we pass some sort of law that requires all registered voters to be able to pass a second grade English Proficiency Exam? Here's a hint to Mr. Selectman Need Two Know... white people vote, too. This is not a race issue. Zach would be receiving just as much criticism if he were a white man making the same bone-headed mistakes that are crushing the City of McComb. "

e.c. nobles wrote on Nov 21, 2008 3:45 PM:

" e.c. nobles, and you say you're your own man, huh. "

Just Keep Watch wrote on Nov 21, 2008 3:43 PM:

" Don"t be fooled by what you see in the boardroom Mr. Myers and Mr. Bowsky, we'll see yall at the polls. "

Dickey wrote on Nov 21, 2008 1:09 PM:

" Glad to see Danny back.
I wonder if Zack will have a written excuse from home? "

Immature Mayor wrote on Nov 21, 2008 12:32 PM:

" This is tooo funny... The Mayor's position is unchanged.... Zack, your position does not MATTER.
YOU dont have a vote.
You are showing just how immature you are by not showing up for the meeting. "

SELECTMAN NEED TWO KNOW wrote on Nov 21, 2008 11:46 AM:

" that black people are the ones that will vote them out SELECTMEN AND SUPERVISORS TWO 65 PERCENT OF THEM. "

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