The City Council has finally taken up Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton's "retirement." And so far the discussion basically amounts to a room of people trying to guess what Herenton's next move will be - whether he will actually resign on July 30, or not.
Council attorney Allan Wade said the mayor's July 6 letter rescinding his June 25 retirement means the city has no written guarantee that the mayor will retire.
Therefore it would be premature to vote on a vacancy in the mayor's office July 30, Wade said. He wants some written guarantees before the council declares a vacancy.
"There are just too many holes in it," Wade said. "The record is screwed up, that's what I'm trying to tell you. If you want to go on the verbal and see what happens, that's your choice. I would prefer that that last letter be clarified in writing."
Certain council members are saying the council should wait and give the mayor the freedom to make his own decisions.
"What is the rush?" said Councilwoman Barbara Swearengen Ware. "Anything we do will be out of order. At whatever point the mayor decides to leave, that's the point we take action."
Councilwoman Janis Fullilove said it would actually be unfair to strip Herenton of his right to change his mind.
But others say the council should take the mayor at his word - he's said on TV, to a spokesperson and to members of his administration that he intends to retire July 30.
"We are in positions of public trust and it's important that the public knows we're committed to our positions," Councilman Shea Flinn said. "...It's well within his rights to continue to serve or retire. But if he says he's going to retire, he needs to mean he's going to retire. We're taking him for his word and how that is unfair to him is just puzzling."
Councilman Bill Boyd went further, calling Herenton's actions an embarrassment.
Herenton "resigned" in 2008, and then changed his mind. So far in the last two weeks he's resigned and changed his mind two different times.
Boyd said it appears Herenton is playing games with other people seeking his office, or with past enemies.
Either way, "his actions have been an embarrassment to his city," Boyd said. "I think that should be said.... It's embarrassed me. I think he should live up to his word."
Boyd called for the council to take action encouraging the mayor to do as he says.
The discussion is ongoing
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