Columbus councilmen voted to terminate a city firefighter Tuesday following a lengthy executive session at the Municipal Complex.
The council decided by a 5-1 margin to cut ties with Billy Cunningham for conduct unbecoming and failure to follow standard operating procedures.
A more than 30-minute executive session preceded the vote, in which Cunningham and several members of the Columbus Fire and Rescue command staff — including Chief Martin Andrews — participated.
After the executive session, Andrews declined to comment to The Dispatch, citing it was a personnel matter.
A city official present for the executive session, however, told The Dispatch Cunningham was accused of several counts of insubordination, including not following orders given by several of his superiors in the department.
Cunningham was hired on April 12, 2017, according to city Human Resources Director Pat Mitchell.
Also following executive session, the council unanimously opted to suspend animal control officer Joshua Sharp for 30 working days without pay for multiple infractions, including an incident when he left his assigned jurisdiction.
The council decided to suspend Sharp in summer 2017, the city official said, after a private investigation revealed he was frequently hanging out at a barbershop outside the city limits during work hours. A former animal control officer also implicated in that investigation, Alexius Jones, since resigned.
Councilmen delayed Sharp’s suspension until the city hired Jones’ replacement, the source said. Now that a second animal control officer is in place, Sharp will now serve the year-old suspension.
Police department patrolman Michael Strong will serve an eight-day suspension for failing to turn on his body camera and hitting a mailbox with his patrol vehicle, a city official confirmed to The Dispatch. Councilmen voted unanimously for his suspension, as well.
Premier Lounge
During open session Tuesday, councilmen unanimously allowed Premier Lounge to return to its normal 1 a.m. closing time after Mayor Robert Smith reported owner Christy Short had complied with all city security requirements.
Councilmen set the 22nd Street South nightclub’s hours to 10 p.m. in November 2017 following an officer-involved shooting across the street from the club as patrons were leaving at about 1 a.m. Nov. 4.
City police officer Jared Booth arrived to the scene for a disturbance call, and moments later fatally shot a man who body camera footage reportedly shows was pointing a gun in the officer’s direction.
The earlier closing time was set for a minimum of six months and until Short complied with upgrading security measures to the city’s satisfaction.
Both Andrews and Police Chief Fred Shelton told The Dispatch after Tuesday’s meeting the club now has adequate surveillance and lighting on its premises and has an adequate fire alarm system.
The city, for its part, also increased street lighting around the club.
Historic Preservation
By a 4-2 vote, the council appointed Kelsy Rickenbaker-Bigelow to serve on the city’s Historic Preservation Commission.
Bigelow will serve at least through May 19, 2019, filling the unexpired term of Mississippi University for Women President Jim Borsig who resigned his commission post in January.
Ward 1 Councilman Gene Taylor, with a second from Ward 3’s Charlie Box, initially moved to appoint Harold Bullock. But Ward 5 Councilman Stephen Jones offered a substitute motion for Bigelow, with a second from Bill Gavin of Ward 6, and councilmen Joseph Mickens (Ward 2) and Fred Jackson (Ward 4) voted for Bigelow.
The new appointee is no relation to Main Street Columbus Director Barbara Bigelow, who also serves on the Historic Preservation Commission.
A field of eight applicants vied for the commission appointment, all of whom applied within the last week. Aside from Bullock and Kelsy Bigelow, applicants included Anne Christopher, Rusty Greene, Quincy Harris, Maureen Lipscomb, Nathan Miller and Robert Raymond.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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