Some grew frustrated.
The term “unfair” was thrown out, while others lamented about a lack of representation.
In the waning minutes of the first City Council meeting of the year, pension reform reared its head. Not because of any bill in front of members — just the opposite.
It was Council President Clay Yarborough’s decision not to add the latest pension reform bill to Tuesday’s addendum that caused turmoil for some of his colleagues.
Three hours before the meeting’s 5 p.m. start, Mayor Alvin Brown’s administration presented Yarborough with the latest bill and sought to have it introduced.
After looking it over, Yarborough declined. He had concerns, chief among them language differences between versions he’d seen, insufficient time to review and a lack of personal communication from Brown on the topic.
The decision means two more weeks before it can be introduced — which didn’t sit well with some.
Council member Stephen Joost, a Brown ally on many topics, was the first to speak up. He called it “patently unfair” and a “pure political play” because items are typically added as a courtesy to mayors.
With Johnny Gaffney set to leave council within a month, the delay meant “a whole area of the city” wouldn’t have representation on the issue, Joost argued. Gaffney unsuccessfully ran for a state House seat in a special election, meaning he has to vacate his council seat.
The margin for passing pension reform is thought to be minimal, meaning Gaffney’s vote could play a pivotal role.
“I think I need to represent my constituents,” Gaffney told his colleagues.
Chris Hand, the mayor’s chief of staff, said the goal was to keep reform moving forward. Adding the item to the addendum still allowed weeks of review before any vote. Pension reform has been lingering for more than seven years, Hand said. Yarborough refuted that saying the “implication that this somehow bogs down what has been a seven-year process is hollow.”
“The current City Council has taken pension reform the farthest it has ever come,” Yarborough wrote earlier in the day.
Others came to Yarborough’s defense.
Bill Gulliford and Robin Lumb said it was the council president’s discretion and they trusted his judgment on the issue.
And the claim of certain areas of town not being represented was refuted by Matt Schellenberg and Lori Boyer, with Schellenberg saying the five at-large seats represent the entire city.
Sides informally had lined up. Yet, the apparent lack of needed support to overturn Yarborough’s decision caused the issue to die without any vote. The appeal needed a simple majority. Putting the pension bill on the addendum needed two-thirds in support.
Hand said he wasn’t disappointed in the overall outcome and the mayor would continue to pursue pension reform.
Yarborough said with all his concerns, he couldn’t put the bill out there yet but that he supports reform.
“I want it, too,” he said. “I want it to be finished.”
The opportunity to start that path will be return in two weeks.
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