McComb Selectman Matt Codding said he learned for the first time at Thursday’s city board meeting that the mayor has a budget from which to spend money and then present the claims to the board for approval.
Codding asked if the mayor had a budget to spend money on four items related to the city’s New Year’s Eve celebration that were on the claims docket.
Board Attorney Marcus Williams and Mayor Quordiniah Lockley explained the mayor has a budget and the board unanimously approved payments for the New Year’s Eve event.
The board paid Billy Powe $2,500 to work sound and lighting, DJ Iesha “Swayway” Robinson $200, Israel Coleman and his band $600 and dancer Miracle Ahmed $200.
Codding said after the meeting he was “1,000%” for having an annual New Year’s Eve celebration and also praised the city’s breast cancer awareness walk held in October.
“It was a great event, just like the Breast Cancer Walk, that’s a great event,” he said.
His remarks follow a request to install video equipment for city officials who may not be able to attend meetings in person, such as himself, since he works out of town.
When he was questioned about it last week, he compared the expenses to the New Year’s Eve celebration, which Lockley spearheaded, and the breast cancer event, led by Selectwoman Terri Waterman-Baylor.
“I thought the invoices were asked for and paid by the mayor's office,” he said. “I found that to be correct while reviewing the documents. I was my understanding that no board member had a free-spending account. The only people able to spend money are departments and (City Administrator David Myers), but I learned that the mayor has a budgeted free spend account that doesn't require approval. Nothing was done improperly, which is great. Our role is to trust but verify.”
Codding opened discussion about the claims during the meeting by asking Williams if the mayor was allowed to spend money without board approval.
“Of course, you can spend within your budget and this board approves payments on the claims docket,” Williams said. “This board puts in place a budget and each department has a budget for different things.”
“Every department has a budget and they spend money out of the budget without board approval until the docket is presented,” Lockley said. “If you’re going to scrutinize when I spend the money out of my budget, then you’re going to have to scrutinize every department when they go buy pen, paper, toilet tissue or whatever because they are buying things out of their budget.
“If you want to do that and this board wants to do that, then they won’t be buying anything until this board approves.”
The board passes a budget just prior to the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, but Codding said he did not recall discussing the mayor’s budget. He requested information about the fund.
“I guess I never considered the mayor’s office as some department,” he said.
Selectman Tommy McKenzie asked why the board had to approve Lockley and the Mayor’s Youth Council attending the 15th annual statewide youth leadership summit at Ole Miss Feb. 24 to 25. The item was approved unanimously earlier in the meeting.
Lockley said the board approved the travel, not other expenses. He also said the city had not previously budgeted for the Mayor’s Youth Council to attend the youth leadership summit.
Earlier in the meeting, Codding questioned the process for calling special meetings. He has attended five board meetings in person and the other nine by speakerphone since the term began in July. He works at an Amazon warehouse near Jackson on Sundays through Wednesdays.
He attended Thursday’s meeting, rescheuled from Tuesday because board members had to attend an out-of-town convention, in person.
Williams told Codding the mayor can call a special meeting or two board members can call them, according to city ordinances. Williams said the board could only discuss things on the agenda during special meetings.
“Part of the reason is, at a regular board meeting, citizens will know meetings are on every second and fourth Tuesday,” he said. “But, at a special called meeting, we want to make sure you discuss what’s on the agenda, just in case the public won’t be able to know what’s going to be discussed at the meeting because it’s not a regular meeting.”
Codding asked who could cancel a regularly scheduled board meeting,
“This board can cancel a regular scheduled board meeting,” Williams said. “A regular scheduled board meeting can occur if there’s a quorum.”
Codding asked if a meeting could have taken place Tuesday if four board members were present,
“You could have conducted a meeting,” Williams said. “There wasn’t anything that canceled the meeting.”
