MEMPHIS, Tenn. — City Council member Joe Brown says Council Chairman Jim Strickland fired staffers without talking to anyone else on the council.
“Chairman Strickland was wrong and Myron Lowery needs to rescind it,” Brown said.
The chairman has the power to fire, but council members have questioned why he did it after officially passing over the gavel to the new chairman, Myron Lowery, and without the staff getting any notice of performance issues.
“I’m not going to talk about individual performances, I don’t think it’s fair to those two ladies,” Strickland said. “The staff needed to shrink in size, we need to save money to fund public safety and other necessities, I don’t think it’s fair to taxpayers to fund unnecessary positions.”
Other council members fired back.
“The city has not downsized this budget, hasn’t had meetings to change the budget since it was approved,” Wanda Halbert said.
Council members say the money is there and doesn’t magically go to public safety or anywhere else.
“He should have at least contacted members of the council,” Janis Fullilove said.
The new chair says if council members want to change anything, they can propose it and vote. Brown said change better come, and if it doesn’t, he’ll take a trip to court.
“I’m not letting it go. I stand behind the employees I’m for what’s right,” Brown said.