Recap of May 31, 2019 Special Called Meeting: Let's Not Create Our Own Gallows

Tonight, Lumberton's Mayor and Board of Alderpersons held a special call meeting. I mentioned earlier this week that Chief Adams Jones was on a three day personal leave. Well, tonight, the Board was informed that Mayor Quincy Rogers suspended Chief Jones because a man sent Mayor Rogers a letters claiming that Chief Jones was having an affair with his wife. In the letter, the man said he's willing to attend the June 4, 2019 board meeting to read the letter and publicly accuse Jones of "coercing" his wife into having an affair but based on the text messages that were included in the letter, the "lunch dates" seemed consensual. Let me pause here for a moment. I wonder why everyone is always willing to submit letters to the Mayor. A few days ago, I submitted a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) letter to Mayor Rogers to get a copy of a letter he has in his possession that was submitted by a department head that accused me of sexual harassment. Since I am ready to take legal action, I requested a copy of the letter. Ironically, the same day I submitted my letter requesting a copy of the letter Mayor Rogers is holding in his possession, the complaint letter was delivered to the Mayor's office detailing an alleged affair. Interesting. At this point, I don't know if the Mayor is the unofficial postmaster of messy letters or if he's attempting to be the modern day J. Edgar Hoover by keeping files on everyone for whatever purpose.

Due to a law we passed, recording executive session is not allowed and I think I am glad the conversation that was held during executive session wasn't recorded. I'm not sure why the Mayor have such vitriol against Jones but it's evident that the scenario that played out this week was personal. Jones was suspended for three day for something he allegedly did while on his lunch break. Unfortunately, the suspension was with pay and there was no documentation on file indicating why Jones was suspended. Prior to the meeting, I received an inter-office communication about some other matters that was taking place between Lumberton's Mayor and Chief of Police. For the record, Jones suspension ends today and he will report to work on Saturday. When an alderperson informed Mayor Rogers that he will need to schedule a time to swear in Chief Jones, the Mayor angrily responded "like hell I will!" Additionally, Mayor Rogers blatantly said something about getting Jones and promised the board that he would veto Jones return to work and that he's putting him on Tuesday's agenda to be terminated. I'm not certain how you can veto something that wasn't voted on and based on Attorney General Opinion No. 2010-00636: the board of aldermen has the ultimate control of the agenda by majority vote. MS AG Op., Goddard and Livingston (June 8, 2007). Both the mayor and the board of aldermen have the authority to place items on the agenda.

There was some other things said that made it clear that this is personal but I won't mention them here but I will probably have to repeat them in a court of law because this is where this matter is headed. It's said that this city is about to have an economic renaissance and the emperor is coming unraveled. Can you believe that I wasn't the vocal one during the meeting? It seems like the board is finally realizing their power and utilizing it. For once, I am glad that I didn't start this fire. I doubt there will be a workshop on Monday but Tuesday's meeting should be very interesting. I will close with this scripture, "Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him." --Proverbs 26:27 NKJ