Ward 2 Alderman Lisa Wynn’s attempt to create and adopt stricter city vehicle-usage rules was pulled from the agenda Tuesday after aldermen complained the new policy was not available for inspection before the meeting.
Wynn alleged Starkville employees improperly used city automobiles at least twice in the last month and apparently called upon CAO Taylor Adams and Personnel Director Randy Boyd to create a new practice despite having a vehicle-usage policy already on the books.
She voluntarily struck the agenda item after Ward 1 Alderman Ben Carver complained about the proposed motion’s language and how aldermen were about to vote for new rules without them being written.
“I will discuss this when the time is proper,” she said. “Any time a city vehicle is being used … improperly and a report is made, it should not take us three hours to find out who is in possession of that car. We have got to do something to address these concerns.”
Carver pumped the brakes on Wynn’s item before aldermen finalized Tuesday’s agenda by asking who placed the item on the day’s consent agenda — only “board of aldermen” was listed as its authorizing director — and questioned the language of the motion itself.
As written, the motion would have approved “developing and adopting” the specific policy. Board attorney Chris Latimer told Carver the future policy would automatically be implemented without requiring a vote.
No information on the proposal was posted to the city’s e-packet.
The Ward 1 alderman said he would not “vote on something when I don’t know what’s written yet.”
“This is a board practice the departments will follow, I supposed, closer to what the board has asked for. It’s just that — the authority to put together a practice,” Adams said after Wynn prompted the CAO. “This is just something we’d use at the departmental level for signing out vehicles, closer maintenance and stricter adherence that would be consistent with, perhaps, more than the policy you’ve already agreed to and adopted.”
Wynn did not say when she would bring the matter back for discussions and offered no further comments on the matter from the table.
“I see the gentleman from (Ward 1’s) concerns,” said Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins. “We don’t necessarily have board authority for any alderman to develop any kind of (policy) — that’s just a friendly comment.”
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.