MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tuesday night a new vice chairman and chairman were elected to the Memphis City Council.
After the vote was handed down and longtime Council member Janis Fullilove found out she did not win, she made sure the council knew she was not happy with their decision and some of the members on the council.
“I don’t have to prove myself to you, and I’m so glad some of you are leaving. I don’t know what to do,” Fullilove said to her fellow council members after the vote was handed down.
Fullilove didn’t mince words Tuesday night after getting passed over as vice chairwoman of the council.
“And for those of you that remain — you watch out for me because I’m going to embrace every one of these new council members, and I’m going to be chair in 2017 and you can take that to the bank.”
On Wednesday, Fullilove, known for being outspoken during council meetings, called her loss “a slap in the face” and said it was “the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
She said over the years her fellow male council members have shown her a blatant lack of respect. Tuesday night she called out current Chairman Myron Lowery for not supporting her, as well as Councilman Berlin Boyd.
“Am I angry? Yes. Do I want you to lose? Yes,” she said.
The Council chose Edmund Ford Jr. instead, another longtime council member.
On Wednesday, Lowery said, “Council members can say what they want to say as long as they’re respectful. Her comments are hers alone, and they speak for themselves.”
Berlin Boyd also responded with: “I have nothing but respect for my colleague, Councilwoman Fullilove. I will strive to work with her and fellow council persons to do what is best for the City of Memphis and District 7.”
On Wednesday, Kemp Conrad, who was elected as Chairman, said he’s known Fullilove for years and said she’s a powerful voice for the community.
“Sometimes emotions run hot,” he said.
About half the current council members will leave office in January. Conrad is excited to collaborate with the new administration and get fresh voices.
“I think it’s a great time to really reset and make sure we have great teamwork and collaboration that we really need to have the city go forward,” Conrad said.
“There’s been a lot of rifts between the seventh floor and the fifth floor,” he continued.” The fifth floor, of course, where the City Council, is and we really just can’t win if there’s all this constant bickering.”
