Written by Jameca Patrick-Singleton
After a more than 10-hour meeting that started on Monday April 11, 2022 and ended in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Councilman Eric Mays, who represents the city’s 1st ward and has been serving as president of the Council since November 2021, was voted out of his post as president by his colleagues. Mays was removed after a 6-0 vote. Councilwoman Tonya Burns from the 6th ward abstained from the vote and Councilwoman Jerri Winfrey-Carter who represents the 5th ward was not present for the vote, Councilman Mays, was also not present at the time of the vote.
Though the council did carry enough votes to remove Councilman Mays this issue is not yet resolved. On Tuesday April 12, 2022 the Ethics and Accountability Board agreed to open an investigation into the removal of Mays as president of the council citing the resolution that was used to remove Mays named them as recommending the removal, a resolution that they claim they did not see prior to the vote by council. They also claim that the resolution has errors and misinformation.
