A declared vacancy in the Memphis mayor's office could become official as early as next week, even if Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton doesn't submit his promised retirement in writing.
If the City Council approves the minutes of the prior meeting on Tuesday, a resolution declaring a mayoral vacancy would come into effect. This could pave the way for the Shelby County Election Commission to start planning a special election.
Two weeks ago the council approved a resolution in a 7-6 vote that declared a mayoral vacancy on July 30, the possible date of Herenton's departure. That resolution didn't take effect, however, because the council failed to approve the meeting's minutes in a 6-7 vote.
City Councilman Bill Boyd was the missing vote, saying he supported the mayoral vacancy but didn't want to rush approval of the minutes without giving Herenton two weeks to write his letter. "What's the rush?" Boyd said. "Everyone seems like it's a big rush, but I just don't see it. What's two weeks difference?"
But Boyd said he plans to approve the minutes this Tuesday because he's spoken with Herenton, who said he isn't planning to turn in a letter at all but will retire on schedule.
"He promised me that he was leaving on the 30th," Boyd said earlier today. "That was his date of resignation. So we can move forward from that point, plan based on that and get on with the regular business of the city."
Election Commission Chairman Bill Giannini said if the minutes are approved Tuesday, the election commission can proceed with planning a special election when they meet Wednesday afternoon.
"We can't make any moves until those minutes have been approved and they send us official notice," Giannini said.
In case you're curious, click here to hear the City Council debate whether to declare a mayoral vacancy or here to view Tuesday's council's agenda.
If they declare a vacancy and the Election Commission goes through the time and expense of setting up a special election and Herenten does not leave on July 30 then a recall petition is in order.
This community and the Council cannot allow one man to constantly screw the taxpayers like this and cause such a disruption in city government.
Herenten has been lax and not caring in so many services for the people, I experienced one glaring example today. I happened to be driving on S. Germantown Rd between Winchester and Shelby Drive where the streets are full of potholes, bumps from previous hole patching and the street breaking up. It's been that way for a couple of years and has damaged many a car's alignment and tires.
I noticed in the last few days that the city has had someone, instead of repaving the road, gone through the uneeded expense of breaking down the curb at the corners of all the streets and made a walkway into the street at the corners. That's about as necessary an expense as transplanting another arm on an Octopus.
Must be a friend of Willie's who does that curb work who got that job before Willie leaves office.
WHAT A WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY!
recall notice, did the fool say recall notice. the clowns up on the council don't have the power to due crap. they need to sit on there chub sacks and wait for King Willie "Mugabe" Herenton to give them the word.