MEMPHIS, Tenn-Next week at this time, there could be a new CAO in Memphis. It may not sound exciting but there are enough twists and turns for a political soap opera in this election year.
Mayor AC Wharton wants to give the job to Jack Sammons. Some critics call it illegal; others call it a political ploy.
“There’s no way you can do an effective job at the airport which is dire need of some kind of a miracle out there and also do a great Job as the chief operating officer,” said Joe Saino
Conservative blogger Joe Saino is just one of the people questioning why Sammons should be CAO.
There are two main problems, one George Little already has that job and Sammons has a city job at the airport but Mayor AC Wharton says it’s a misconception when people say Sammons will hold two city jobs.
“I’ve seen a lot of people out there saying he’s going to be working at the airport and down there, that’s a volunteer board membership, he’s not holding two jobs he’ll have one job, he’s giving up his business activities so he’ll have one job,” he stated.
Even if Wharton is right, he will need to convince skeptical state lawmakers such as Antonio Parkinson. Right now you can’t have two city jobs at once.
“One is that normally we don’t pass legislation for a single individual or work on legislation that would impact a single individual,” he said.
That are also concerns about salary and budget money, especially after budget problems the past few years. Mayor Wharton didn’t seem too concerned about that either.’
“I have forgotten the precise figure on that job but it would be the precise job; now you say well aren’t you going to be paying two salaries if you keep George Little; there are a number of vacancies that will not be filled or if they are filled they will be filled at a lower level; he said.
Although the deadline to file in the legislature has passed, a vote by three members of the committee would speed up the process for passage. Parkinson says he’s not sure what the likeliness is of that happening so quickly.
