Local Radar

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Johnston Mayor says "secret meetings" have to end

web posted January 9, 2007

JOHNSTON – The Johnston Town Council held their first meeting of the New Year with what appeared to be an uneventful agenda until the Mayor’s Report and it became clear the “honeymoon period” for Mayor Willie Campbell is over. The Mayor suggested this year’s Parks and Recreation funds (PARD funds) be combined with last fiscal year’s to place a walking track at Watson Park at a cost of about $18,000. It quickly became obvious his proposal was not being received well by the council and the verbal gloves came off.

Town Councilman Morris Holmes questioned the use of the funds for the Watson Park area, “What are you going to do? Go out there and pave around a soccer field that’s not even usable?” Holmes asked. Mayor Campbell retorted, “Well, even if we don’t use it we’re going to put the trail around that.” Councilman Holmes said he felt the town needed to look more towards the Jaycee Park where established individual recreation was taking place. “And I agree,” Councilman Tommy Burton said.

Councilman Burton stated the town did not have the funds to do what needed to be done to finish Watson Park right now and the walking track would be “isolated”. He concurred that the best use of the funds would be the Jaycee Park where children activities were already supported along with a covered structure and picnic area and tennis courts and the town needs to spend, “what money we got so it (will) benefit everybody and on top of that put bathrooms in.”

Mayor Campbell said he appreciated the comments but still believed the best place for the walking track was Watson Park and that was his recommendation. Councilman Burton said he respected the Mayor’s recommendation but “what I think it all comes down to is what the body decides.”

Councilwoman Tyra Miller spoke up and stated she also felt the Jaycee Park was the best use of the money and that the agreement on Watson Park was understood to be years in the making. She recalled that grading of the fields were going to cost “hundreds of thousands of dollars” to be functional and did not see the need to pave the walking trail that would be destroyed when the needed grading took place.

After several explanations by council members Mayor Campbell, in a rather curt and frustrated tone of voice stated, “If we are going to move Johnston were are going to have to do something. We can sit around here and talk and talk and we can allow it to move away from us. But the main thing is we gotta – this council – we are going to have to begin to work together. And all of the little secret meetings about what’s going to be done and when it’s going to be done and that kind of little thing, we gonna get ourselves in trouble.”

Councilman Burton interrupted and stated “I would like to know what he’s (the Mayor) is talking about If you’re going to go and make an allegation to the council.” Mayor Campbell said he did not approve of “two or three” council members getting together to discuss the town business. Councilman Burton asked, “A quorum is four people right?” He said he did not see where two or three members talking about their feelings would cause any trouble. “We are grown men,” Burton ended.

Councilwoman Miller stated that all the council was asking for was chances to study the two locations and make a judgment after all factors are weighed. The Mayor accepted that and then asked for the meeting to adjourn, which was granted. Mayor Campbell then exited the meeting abruptly.


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