Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for July 8, 2006 OPEN LETTER FROM CAIRO MAYOR

The Mayor of Cairo defends his administration and attacks Cairo City Council members in an open letter published on the Cairo Citizen website...

Mayor responds to Cairo council statement

This statement is made in rebuttal of an apparent press release from the three council members who walked out of the regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, June 27, 2006.

First, let me start by making sure the citizens of the City of Cairo are well aware that I am the Mayor of their fair city. I was elected by 117 votes by the citizens of the City of Cairo, who wanted to see a change in leadership take place. I am proud to say that I was the top vote getter in that election. Why do you think this happened?

As Mayor of your city, I have attempted to make changes for the better, but, as most of you already know, have been met with obstacles every step of the way. It does not matter to several of the council members that I have the best interests of the citizens at heart. Instead, they prefer to continue keeping this city in the quagmire that it has been in for so many years.

Folks, there is a court order on file, in cause no. 03-MR-43 and dated May 12, 2006 in which Judge Mark Buie has ordered Capaha Bank to recognize my appointed officials and allow them to sign checks so that the operation of the City of Cairo continues despite the efforts to these elected individuals to sabotage my administration. Is that hard for these council members to respect the ruling of a circuit court judge? Feel free to go the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Alexander County to obtain a copy of this order. It is a matter of public record.

Second, the members of the council are provided with copies of the minutes of the meetings in their agenda packets which are either mailed or delivered every Friday before the regularly scheduled meeting. If the members of the council are unable to find their copies, then should the taxpayers have to pay for the copies of these documents over and over again? Is this the way they intend to cut costs within the City of Cairo?

The other side of this story is that these council members want copies of minutes of certain meetings which have been prepared by, I assume Ms. Jackson, without the benefit of any documentation, notes or recordings. I hope that Ms. Jackson understands that a tape recording of each meeting is made by the city clerk and preserved in the vault at city hall. To date, she has produced no such recording to the clerk who is responsible for the preservation of the minutes. Where is it?

Third, the bill lists which have not been approved. Once again, I have to go back to my earlier statement pertaining to the order entered on May 12, 2006, by Judge Boie pertaining to the signing of checks to enable the city to continue to function. Do these people totally disregard the order of a judge? I would hope that they would have more respect for our system than they are exhibiting at this point.

Fourth, I must make the same argument for the payrolls.

Fifth, the council members say they have voted for a spending freeze. For what? So that the city of Cairo can spend its taxpayers money on the expenses these members determine to be important to the city of Cairo. Was the purchase of the Riverlore a necessity for the City of Cairo? I ask you. Were these citizens of Cairo consulted before this purchase was made? Were you even consulted before the prior administration, in its last few days, gave full power of this property of the City of Cairo along with the Cairo Custom House, to the Cairo Public Library Board? You know the answer to these questions. I have not even been allowed to make any appointments to the Cairo Public Library Board during my term as mayor. The taxpayers of the City of Cairo have been paying the bills for these properties, including utilities, telephone, etc. Was this using good judgment on the part of the prior administration or was it a matter of just acquiring a new "toy"? You decide. For the record, there is also a 30� section of the Riverlore property which is still owned by its former owner. Why would these elected officials allow her to retain an ownership in a part of the property?

Sixth, what steps has the council taken to stop this abuse?

A. Is the famous press release of December 27, 2005, a step in the right direction. A boycott? I have the definition of the word boycott, it is to abstain from or act together in abstaining from using, buying or dealing with an expression of protest or disfavor or as a means of coercion.

Are these elected officials attempting to coerce, intimidate or threaten me? Now that really shows the taxpayers how it should work. I mean if you don�t get your way, in this case, my resignation, then you just abandon your post and issue a press release to that effect but expect to continue to be paid for this service or lack thereof. Does the city of Cairo have money to spend so ridiculously? In my opinion, absolutely not.

The taxpayers deserve the best bang for their buck. But, then again, the taxpayers deserve the comfort of knowing that the city leaders are going to abide by the law and the 1980 consent decree. Just so that the taxpayers are fully informed, at paragraph 6 of this decree, it clearly states "should a councilmember move out of the ward he or she represents, there shall a vacancy. All vacancies shall be filled by means of a special election."

Although one of the prior Wilson administrations follow this process, (that would have been in 1994), the Wilson administration in office on January 22, 2002, did not feel it was necessary to abide by the 1980 Consent Decree when Mayor Wilson appointed Linda Jackson to fill the vacancy created on the Council by the death of Nancy Wright. The motion was made by Bobby Whitaker and seconded by Cordel McGoy. The vote, as recorded by the clerk at that time, was: Ayes: All. Nays: None.

Do you realize that Ms. Jackson was paid the total sum of $9,000 for her salary during her term of appointment? Do you realize that Ms. Jackson cost the City of Cairo the sum of $4,030 for health insurance premiums? Do you realize that Ms. Jackson cost the city of Cairo the additional sum of $900 for the additional pension plan that the members of the council, at that time, gave to themselves at the same meeting. Do you realize that at:

65 ILCS 5/3.1-50-10) (from Ch. 24, par. 3.1-50-10)

Sec. 3.1-50-10. Fixing salaries. The corporate authorities of a municipality may fix the salaries of all municipal officers and employees in the annual appropriation or budget ordinance. They may fix the salary of all officers who hold elective office for a definite term in an ordinance other than the appropriation or budget ordinance. The salaries that are fixed in the annual appropriation ordinance shall neither be increased nor diminished during the fiscal year for which the appropriation is made. The salaries that are fixed by ordinance for those officers who hold elective office for a definite term shall neither be increased nor diminished during that term and shall be fixed at least 180 days before the beginning of the terms of the officers whose compensation is to be fixed. (Source: P.A. 90-210, eff. 7-25-97.)

No increases in their salary during their term! It didn�t matter to them, they did it anyway.

The total compensation paid to Ms. Jackson during her term of this appointment is $13,930. Do you realize that Linda Jackson is one of the council members who issued the December 27, 2005 press release to boycott the council meetings?

B. Is soliciting help from the Attorney General of Illinois to file criminal charges against me and members of my administration for attempting continue to run the city by opening a bank account in another county when neither of the local banks would honor the signatures of my appointees?

C. Is impaneling a grand jury by our State�s Attorney, my first cousin, with me as the target another example of these elected officials putting a stop to the so called abuse?

Seventh, do you realize that Council member Thurston has the most absences of any council member? Is it ok with the taxpayers that their elected official at large is the least able to attend the meetings. Why run for office if you are not willing to take the time to do your job? Do you just want to draw a paycheck?

Do you realize that this council member along with the other members of the council have failed, for the past three years, to comply with 65 ILCS 5/8-2-9 in municipalities with less than 500,000 inhabitants, the corporate authorities shall pass an ordinance within the first quarter of each fiscal year, to be termed the annual appropriation ordinance.

Do these council members think that they are above the law? Do you realize that the annual appropriation ordinance was passed during the first quarter of each fiscal year in the previous administration?

Why is that these elected officials ignore the law? Do the taxpayers of the city of Cairo deserve this type of disrespect? Is setting an example for the citizens who elected these people. Do you realize that this annual appropriation ordinance has been prepared and not passed during the last couple of weeks of December every year since I was elected Mayor? Why?

For your information the tax levy cannot be passed for 10 days following the passage of the appropriation ordinance. This council has failed to comply with the statutory mandate in passing the annual appropriation ordinance on or before July 31, which is the last day of the first quarter of the fiscal year.

In doing so, they have prohibited themselves from levying taxes for the payment of the expenses of the city of Cairo. Why? My answer is to sabotage my administration.

Do you realize that this same member of the council is a party to the litigation filed in Pulaski County, Illinois, in cause no. 05-L-6 pertaining to a particular election which took place in Alexander County, Illinois? Why is he named as a party to this litigation?

Do you realize that Council member Thurston is the council member most likely to lose his temper during a meeting? I can�t even begin to count the number of times that Mr. Thurston has jumped up and began his grandstanding in the presence of the public and then later, following the meeting, if he doesn�t walk out, when most people have gone home, he will come and apologize for his outburst. He continues to make threats against me and some of my appointed officials. Why? I don�t have the answers, but can say this, I am committed to fulfill my duty to the people who elected me and will not be intimidated by anyone.

Eighth, do you realize that one of the guns which was confiscated from Council member Whitaker belonged to the city of Cairo? Do you remember that in January, 2006, Chief Bosecker and myself requested that this council member return the gun he had in his possession which was the property of the city of Cairo. This council member even went so far as to be shown on television with a gun which he stated he bought through the city of Cairo, but paid for with his own funds. While making this television appearance, Council member Whitaker continued by stating that he had completed the required training to be able to carry this loaded weapon. Upon his arrest on or about April 28, 2006, in Pulaski County, Illinois for DUI, one of the loaded weapons in his possession was identified as being owned by the city of Cairo. How does it make you feel that one of your elected officials got on television and deceived the public like this? Well needless to say, the gun was confiscated by the Pulaski County officiasl and has now been returned to the Cairo Police Department.

Ninth, there is a lawsuit pending in Alexander County, Illinois filed in the Circuit Court by the City of Cairo against Council member Purchase, cause no. 04-LM-39 for the continued use of a dumpster at his personal residence. This council member was not paying for the use of this city owned property. How do you feel about that, especially those of you who are presently paying for your dumpsters and those of you who have recently paid the fee to the city of Cairo for the temporary rental of a dumpster? Is this not abuse of his position?

Tenth, is there no one on this council that is willing to step up and even try to help me? Have we lost sight of what is right and wrong? Is this city going to just become a guest town? What businesses have been brought into this city in the last ten years? What businesses have been closed? Think about it.

I am tired of just sitting back and taking the criticism from these other elected officials. I am trying to do my job. I may not be perfect, but I am keeping my focus on the city of Cairo and its betterment. I want to see the city of Cairo prosper as well as its citizens. Cairo can be so much. What is it going to take to put this city on the road to recovery? I am willing to do my part but if the other elected officials are not then what will happen?

I urge all of you to get out and come to a council meeting. See it for yourself. Are these elected officials performing the duties which are required by their office? I welcome each and everyone of you to our meetings. Don�t just sit and wait to see what the media reports, be there, see it for yourself. We have got to work together. I have faith but sometimes could use a little encouragement from the citizens. I do not intend to stop trying. Give me some help. Some support. Isn�t that why there are elections? So that the people may elect the person or persons they feel will best represent their interests? Think about it." Paul M. Farris,

Mayor, City of Cairo