Veto Overriden, But Not As Expected
Posted by Jeff Pruitt - 9/9/08 @ 7:45 pm - Filed Under City Council, Featured
As expected councilmen Pape and Shoaff flipped their votes which seemingly would’ve upheld the mayor’s veto of the fire merit ordinance. However, in a surprising move, councilman Glynn switched his vote as well, but this one went from the mayor’s camp into the firefighters’.
Hines also had strong words for the mayor in his lack of appointments for minorities in his administration. I’ll have video of this later - you won’t want to miss this. I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that Dan Jehl and FW Public1 went to the mayor during his transition phase and specifically advocated for his administration to represent the demographics in the city. The group was rebuffed and the mayor has recently removed his only minority administration member African-American department head in Clifford Clarke.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this administration has been a borderline trainwreck. The mayor has lost the support of the firefighters and now, apparently, councilman Hines as well…
Update: My original comment that Clifford was the only minority member of the administration was incorrect as Kumar Menon is the director of City Utilities. H/T: Ted Nitza
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5 Responses to “Veto Overriden, But Not As Expected”
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Wow!
Go Glynn!
R.D. Sr.
I sent have exchanged emails with Rick in response to one he sent me. His was dated prior to the meeting and mine just minutes ago.
I shared with him again my concern over rule enforcement votes and not true merit promotions.
I also told him and state here that Glynn’s vote was not a vote for this merit system package but a vote based on non related issues with the Mayor.
As a City Council member I think every member has the right and duty to public state that they have an issue with Mayor. Sometimes mayors and some of us need a kick in the rear to do the right thing.
None of our lives will change because of the passage of this or not. But Glynn may have ripped a much bigger hole in this city, how his district may be treated, and even council is treated by the Mayor. He could have warned the Mayor with his vote that the next vote and others will be cast against the Mayor unless he address the issue he carried on about.
Oh Rick, at least those voting against it explained themselves (2 of 3) but I did not hear much from the others that supported it.
Yes, I will cimb out of bed in the morning and look at this ugly face in the mirror but I will be wondering what Glynn may have unleased.
JQ,
I disagree with the above statement. Councilman Hines said that he changed his vote because he trusts the fire professionals more than he does the mayor. His rational was not based on non-related issues…
Jeff,
Respectfully I disagree. His vote was AGAINST THE MAYOR and he clearly, but in heated way stated why. He did say he trusted the fire professionals over “the Mayor”.
He did not say that he did not trust Mayors. In fact he clearly stated what other mayors had done. Hence this was a vote against Mayor Henry.
Like it or not FUTURE Mayors will live with this merit system and the pitfall it contains.
One has to ask what changed since the first vote when he opposed it? He did not site a thing that he was willing to share with the public.
I guess it may have to due with person we have discussed here. No proof, but considering how upset he was and things he said have me thinking such. PEOPLE THIS IS JUST A BELIEF I HAVE NO PROOF.
[...] Councilman Hines hammers mayor Henry over lack of African-American department heads. You really should go back and watch the video to see how angry councilman Hines was. This all come to a head when the city’s Chief Technology Officer was fired shortly after going to council to present the controversial contract that outsourced the city’s IT department. Hines’ comments came during the vote to override the mayor’s veto on the fire merit ordinance. The mayor thought he had the vote in the bag after getting councilman Shoaff to change his vote but Hines threw him a curveball and the veto was overridden. [...]