The Mississippi Ethics Commission dismissed a 2014 Open Meetings Act complaint against Starkville aldermen that alleged impropriety with an earlier school board vote.
The original complaint, filed last spring by former Alderman Mary Lee Beal, stemmed from a controversial February 2014 school board appointment. That night, aldermen appointed Juliette Weaver-Reese to a five-year term after denying former Starkville School District Board of Trustees President Eddie Myles an opportunity to interview for and continue serving in his capacity.
The MEC’s March 6 ruling, approved by Executive Director Tom Hood, states no evidence exists proving the vote was pre-arranged, and the group has no legal authority to investigate prior meetings for potential Open Meetings Act violations.
Beal’s complaint focused on Ward 2 Alderman Lisa Wynn, saying her public comments during that meeting indicate aldermen tend to business outside of the public’s purview.
“Sometimes as board members, we have to make decisions behind the scenes that some of you may not understand, and they are quite difficult. Tonight was one of those,” she said on Feb. 18, 2014.
Starkville’s defense, as filed by board attorney Chris Latimer, included sworn affidavits from the seven-person board and the mayor claiming they have never been part of gatherings outside of regularly scheduled meetings, properly noticed recess and special-call meetings or board retreats.
In her affidavit, the dismissal states, Wynn said “emotions were running high in the room over the appointment of (the) school board member and (she) admittedly used a poor choice of words.”
“Wynn explains that her statement intended to convey that she had ‘individually agonized’ over her personal decision concerning the appointment prior to coming to the meeting … not that she had engaged in any behind-the-scenes meetings of the board,” states the dismissal.
The commission ruled the affidavits and minutes submitted by Latimer establish “the discussion and vote concerning the municipal school board appointment occurred at a public meeting of the board.”
Beal’s complaint was the second such filing stemming from the 2014 appointment. Another took issue with Ward 7 Henry Vaughn’s participation in the vote.
The state ethics commission previously warned Vaughn and former Ward 5 Alderman Jeremiah Dumas last term to stop participating in school board matters as they had relatives working in the system.
City minutes show Weaver-Reese’s five-year appointment was motioned by Vaughn and seconded by Wynn. After the meeting, Vaughn told The Dispatch his daughter, at the time, worked for the school system and he participated in the vote because she does not live with him.
Ward 5 Alderman Scott Maynard and Ward 4 Alderman Jason Walker both recused from discussion and votes related to the appointment that night since they also have relatives working for SSD.
Maynard’s son works for the district and does not live with him, he confirmed after the meeting.
Vaughn adhered to the commission’s previous request after it was issued in 2010 and recused from subsequent votes that year through 2012. In 2013, former school board President Keith Coble retained his elected seat after no challengers qualified.
Last month, former school board President Lee Brand was re-appointed to his position during a recess meeting.
The status of Vaughn’s ethics complaint is unknown at this time.
Four additional Open Meetings Act complaints were recently filed against the city in regard to how it used executive session this year to amend Starkville’s former plus-one insurance option; strike discrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender employees; and hold discussions on Starkville Parks Commission’s impending takeover.
In January, the board amended its insurance policy to only cover those in state-recognized marriages – heterosexual couples – after it extended benefits to employees’ same-sex partners. Additionally, aldermen struck its statement of inclusion, the first LGBT-friendly policy from a Mississippi municipality.
Both matters were taken behind closed doors on the basis of “potential litigation,” and changes were initiated by Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins.
After four September meetings with charged comments from LGBT supporters and Starkville’s religious community, aldermen never publicly said they would amend the two policies before doing so in January.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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