|
| Author
|
Post |
 
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Flint city attorney report: Councilman Eric Mays used vulgarity, attempted to intimidate city employees
Updated Sep 23, 2014; Posted Sep 23, 2014
By Ron Fonger rfonger1@mlive.com
Read the affidavit of Jesse Buchanan here: affidavit.pdf
FLINT, MI -- Flint's city attorney says Councilman Eric Mays violated the city charter and abused his office by cursing at and attempting to intimidate city employees.
City Attorney Peter Bade made the claims in an Aug. 29 investigative report, which says Mays confronted Flint's chief development official in August, demanding to be called "sir," screaming, and repeatedly using profanity inside City Hall.
Mays said Tuesday, Sept. 16, that he disagrees with Bade's report, and said affidavits collected from city employees about the incident are filled with half-truths, and blamed Flint emergency manager Darnell Earley for orchestrating the investigation in an effort to remove him from office.
Bade's report says the incident occurred Aug. 5 when Mays, who represents the city's 1st Ward, confronted Jesse Buchanan, Flint's chief development official, about the condemnation of an apartment building.
The report, obtained by The Flint Journal, says "numerous employees complained about (Mays') behavior on that date with respect to a loud and intimidating confrontation" in which the councilman "repeatedly used vulgarity" and told Buchanan "if this were out on the street, this would be a different story."
Mays said the report doesn't tell the whole story, but said he "responded maybe in what some would say (an) unprofessional" way, and said he "was kind of fussing and cussing" during the incident.
Mays said Bade's investigation did not include all relevant information, including actions by Buchanan before the confrontation and said the report is more evidence he's been targeted by Earley.
"I'm appalled at Mr. Earley," Mays said. "He wants to come at me from all angles. Before I let Darnell Earley take me out, we'll all be in court. I've been elected in a democratic process."
City spokesman Jason Lorenz said Earley would not comment on the report because it is a confidential communication between attorney and client, and Bade also declined to comment.
Mays said he spoke to Buchanan on Aug. 6 about Glen Acre apartments, a Pierson Road complex that was partially condemned by the city last month after a water shutoff.
Water service has since been restored after the city received at least a partial payment on a past-due water bill for part of the property, and officials have said they mistakenly posted condemnation notices on some of the buildings there.
Bade's report says Mays' conduct in City Hall "clearly violated" the city charter's prohibition against council members giving orders to city employees instead of dealing with city administrators, and violated an emergency manager's order that forbids Mays specifically from directly communicating with city staff.
The report concludes that Mays' behavior "constitutes an illegal interference with the administration of municipal services and was an attempt to intimidate city employees," but doesn't indicate any consequence for Mays.
The latest rift is just the latest conflict between Mays and others inside City Hall, particularly Earley. Among the past incidents:
Mays accused city attorneys of piling on criminal charges against him after he was charged with five misdemeanors in a drunken driving and marijuana possession case earlier this year. He was found not guilty of three of the charges against him and guilty of a lesser charge of impaired driving.
Earley joined Mayor Dayne Walling and council President Scott Kincaid in calling for Mays' resignation in December following his arrest in the same case.
Earley issued an order Dec. 13 that said Mays could communicate with the emergency manager using only email and could not talk to city staff because of "loud, uncivil, unprofessional, aggressive and erratic behavior."
Mays said in July that the mayor and City Council have the authority and should vote to remove Earley from his post, something that never materialized.
In 2013, a Genesee County District Court jury Friday found Mays guilty of disrupting a meeting of a public body after he spoke too long at a public hearing the previous year.
As recently as May, City Council President Scott Kincaid asked police to remove Mays from a meeting after the two argued over how the meeting was being run, including what order Kincaid was recognizing council members to speak. |
|
|
Mon Jan 28, 2019 1:34 pm |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Witness pleads the fifth after Flint Councilman Eric Mays asks if he was real wrong-way driver
Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com By Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
on May 30, 2014 at 5:39 PM, updated May 30, 2014 at 5:40 PM
FLINT, MI --A witness refused to answer today, May 30, after Flint Councilman Eric Mays asked if he was driving May's vehicle on the night the councilman was arrested for drunken driving.
Johnny Billings of Flint, the second witness Mays called in his defense against five misdemeanor charges in Flint District Court, was asked one question before claiming his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination, leaving a seven-member jury to wonder what his answer might have been.
Neither Billings nor Mays would answer questions from MLive-The Flint Journal about who was driving a vehicle that had been loaned to Mays in the early morning hours of Nov. 30.
Police have said they found Mays outside the car, which was facing the wrong way with missing and damaged tires, on I-475 at about 3 a.m. that day.
No witnesses have testified to having seen Mays drive the vehicle on the night in question, but police witnesses have said he confessed to driving drunk the night of his arrest.
An officer testified today that Mays tested above the legal limit for blood alcohol level, and prosecutors have charged him with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, possession of marijuana, no proof of insurance, failure to report an accident and refusal to be fingerprinted.
"I'm disappointed in the truthfulness" of police testimony, said Mays, who is acting as his own attorney in the case, which has now stretched on for three days.
The appearance by Billings topped off the third day in the trial, which is scheduled to resume June 12.
At one point today, District Judge Nathaniel Perry admonished Mays for his line of questioning with one witness, telling the councilman, "Just have a seat and be quiet."
Perry later slammed his fist on the desk in front of him, telling Mays again, "Please be quiet."
A moment before, special prosecutor Michael Gildner, who objected repeatedly to May's comments and questions to witnesses, said the councilman "does not know process ... doesn't know what he's doing" in court.
During his opening argument, after Gildner rested the prosecution's case, Mays told the jury that he's doing the best he can to represent himself.
"I don't know all the rules of the attorneys or the courts," he said. "I know the truth." |
|
|
|
Tue Jan 29, 2019 3:12 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
East Village Magazine
City Council Beat: mutual condemnations, calls for civility dominate September meetings
Home»Local News»City Council Beat: mutual condemnations, calls for civility dominate September meetings
Posted on Sep 30, 2018
By Meghan Christian
“All I’m gonna say is: get the word out. When you hear me say I want to change the complexion of this council, and people say is it a threat, no. It’s factually what I’m going to do,” First Ward Councilperson Eric Mays said during his final comments at the Sept. 24 Flint City Council (FCC) meeting.
“If I have to go in two wards and find people in that ward and help them circulate petitions to get the number to change the complexity of the recall ballot…and right now I’m targeting the Fourth Ward and the Ninth Ward…that’s what I’m going to do,” he added.
The Fourth Ward is represented by Councilperson Kate Fields; the Ninth by Councilperson Eva Worthing.
“They can come in my ward if they want, but I’m going to come in theirs and work with people under the law, because I’m not going to go through this mess for three more years,” Mays said, referring to building tensions that have progressively increased among FCC members. Tensions appeared to first come to a head at the Sept. 10 FCC meeting, where both Fields and Worthing spoke out against what they said was unfair treatment they were receiving, specifically from Mays.
“Mr. Mays wants to attack certain council people…in the discussion he is attacking people…,” Fields said at the Sept. 10 meeting before she was interrupted by Sixth Ward Councilperson and Council President Herb Winfrey.
“It’s not equal treatment to let Mr. Mays say whatever he wants and attacks members…and then Ms. Fields is addressing it and you tell her to move on,” Worthing said at the Sept. 10 meeting in defense of Fields.
Ninth Ward Councilperson Eva Worthing (Flint City Council photo)
Fields and Eighth Ward Councilperson Allan Griggs were absent from the Sept. 24 meeting. While present for most of the meeting, Worthing had left by the time of final council comments.
Some residents also spoke out against the recent behavior of council members, citing name calling, personal attacks, and lack of civility as main issues. Ethics and Accountability Board Interim Vice President Allen Gilbert took it upon himself to deliver a lesson on civility to the council during his public speaking opportunity, quoting the Ethics Handbook for Michigan Municipalities:
“‘Civility can help set the tone for demonstrating fair and just treatment in hearings and investigations. However impossible it might be to mandate, civility might be inspired by conscentious attention to the trappings of the meeting of a public body…or the conscious example of members of the public body itself’,” Gilbert read.
“I hope that, as Council, we can restore civility. It is a very difficult environment to work in when it’s hostile, when there’s name calling,” Worthing said at the Sept. 24 meeting.
“When you look at how much anguish and struggling…that our citizens are going through, and what they have gone through, they have a right to expect more out of us when we come to do city business here,” Council President Winfrey said at the Sept. 24 meeting. Addressing his colleagues, he added, “I want you all to do better. Your citizens that elected you deserve better.”
Second Ward Councilperson Maurice Davis (Flint City Council photo)
It is not just between council members where tempers have been flaring. Resident and community activist Quincy Murphy addressed Second Ward Councilperson Maurice Davis at both the Sept. 10 and Sept. 24 FCC meetings regarding recent comments made about Murphy by Davis. The comments range from Davis referring to Murphy as a “fake activist” to downplaying Murphy’s work in the community.Qu
“I feel that Mr. Davis is coming at me…and at times, at his colleagues,” Murphy said. “Not one time have I ever came to this podium and personally attacked anyone…I’m asking for the same respect,” he added.
However, during the FCC meeting on Sept. 24, Davis publicly apologized to Murphy for his behavior in previous meetings. “I’d like to say to Mr. Murphy, I’m going to sit up here and apologize publicly…because one thing I am not is perfect,” Davis said. “So we just leave our differences aside because there’s too much business that needs to be handled,” he added.
“I would just like to say that I think it’s really gentlemanly of Mr. Davis to apologize for those comments,” Worthing said.
However difficult relationships among council members have been, FCC still has managed to take care of some city business.
Appointments
FCC approved the appointment of Martin J. Banks to serve a seven-year term on the Local Officers Compensation Commission by a unanimous vote. They also approved the appointment of Kathy Jackson to the Flint District Library Board by a vote of six in favor and one abstention. Of those present, Mays abstained, citing not having a chance to speak with Jackson or conduct enough research on her as his reasoning for doing so.
Resolutions
FCC approved resolutions throughout September which included a myriad of different projects and services including street improvements and a salt purchase for the City’s Transportation Department.
Ordinances
FCC passed two ordinances from first reading to second at the Sept. 24 meeting. The first of the two will allow for Avon Park Limited Dividend Housing Association, LLC to pay six percent of their annual rents (minus utilities) in lieu of taxes. The second had to do with adjusting the headline of Chapter 46, Article II, which deals with sewage disposal. Both ordinances passed unanimously.
EVM Managing Editor Meghan Christian can be reached at meghan.christian22@gmail.com. |
|
|
|
Tue Jan 29, 2019 3:20 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
“All I’m gonna say is: get the word out. When you hear me say I want to change the complexion of this council, and people say is it a threat, no. It’s factually what I’m going to do,” First Ward Councilperson Eric Mays said during his final comments at the Sept. 24 Flint City Council (FCC) meeting.
“If I have to go in two wards and find people in that ward and help them circulate petitions to get the number to change the complexity of the recall ballot…and right now I’m targeting the Fourth Ward and the Ninth Ward…that’s what I’m going to do,” he added.
The Fourth Ward is represented by Councilperson Kate Fields; the Ninth by Councilperson Eva Worthing.
“They can come in my ward if they want, but I’m going to come in theirs and work with people under the law, because I’m not going to go through this mess for three more years,” Mays said, referring to building tensions that have progressively increased among FCC members. Tensions appeared to first come to a head at the Sept. 10 FCC meeting, where both Fields and Worthing spoke out against what they said was unfair treatment they were receiving, specifically from Mays.
“Mr. Mays wants to attack certain council people…in the discussion he is attacking people…,” Fields said at the Sept. 10 meeting before she was interrupted by Sixth Ward Councilperson and Council President Herb Winfrey.
“It’s not equal treatment to let Mr. Mays say whatever he wants and attacks members…and then Ms. Fields is addressing it and you tell her to move on,” Worthing said at the Sept. 10 meeting in defense of Fields. |
|
|
|
Tue Jan 29, 2019 3:23 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Flint Councilman Eric Mays found guilty, faces more jail time
Posted February 2, 2016 at 10:47 AM
By Gary Ridley
Flint Councilman Eric Mays escorted by police from meeting Flint Councilman Eric Mays is led by police from a council committee meeting on July 8, 2015.
FLINT, MI - A Flint city councilman recently released from jail is facing 90 more days behind bars after jurors found him guilty of disorderly conduct.
Jurors found Councilman Eric Mays guilty Monday, Feb. 1, after two days of testimony.
Mays was charged with disorderly person after he was removed from a July 8, 2015, finance committee meeting by police. He couldn't be reached for comment on the verdict.
Flint Police Chief James Tolbert, City Councilwoman Monica Galloway and former Council President Josh Freeman all testified against Mays in the case.
Galloway testified the three member committee, of which Mays was not a member of, was discussing grass cutting in the city when she allowed Mays to discuss the issue.
However, Galloway claimed Mays continued to go off topic, including mentioning the city's prosecution of him for an alleged November 2013 drunken, wrong-way crash on Interstate 475.
The councilwoman said Mays became increasingly loud and agitated despite her attempts to bring him to order. She claimed she eventually read Mays the disorderly person ordinance and told him he could be arrested if he didn't come to order.
Ultimately, Galloway said she had to ask police to remove Mays because he continued to interrupt the meeting.
"She gave him more time than I would," Freeman testified. "She was beyond reasonable with her time."
Tolbert testified that Mays was initially led from the meeting but not arrested. Officials eventually sought an arrest for him after reviewing video of the meeting.
Flint Councilman Eric Mays talks to police after being forced to leave meeting Flint Councilman Eric Mays talks to police, including Chief James Tolbert, after having been forced to leave a City Council meeting Wednesday, July 10.
Former City Attorney Peter Bade said previously the decision to seek charges against Mays came after officials reviewed video from that July meeting, which was posted in news reports on MLive.com.
The case was presided over by visiting Judge Richard D. Ball.
Ball sentenced Mays to jail Jan. 5 for 30 days after prosecutors claimed Mays crashed his vehicle near Leith Street and Industrial Avenue in Flint before driving it almost three miles on the night of his arrest, ending up facing the wrong way on I-475, just north of the city limits.
Mays is appealing that conviction.
Jury selection in the disorderly conduct case began just hours before Mays was released from the Genesee County jail.
A sentencing date has not yet been set, but court officials said it is expected to occur in March. |
|
|
|
Tue Jan 29, 2019 8:43 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Eric Mays-Damage control Power and Prestige
Flint's 1st Ward Councilman Eric Mays is acting like the consummate politician as he makes the rounds of radio and internet talk shows in an effort to do damage control after he lost his position as Chair of the Finance Committee.
He started on January 16th with a previously taped segment on the Mike Kilbreath Morning Gazette Show. Then Mays went to Detroit on January 23rd to be with Sam Riddle on Riddle@Random 910 AM Superstation The next day he was back with Mike Kilbreath live. On Saturday he was on too of three talk shows on the Christian station WFLT 1470 AM.
His theme continued to be that he was angry at his phone call from Council President Herbert Winrey that he was being replaced 7th Ward Monica Galloway. because of his repeated disruptive behavior and harassment of some of his female council members.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Fri Feb 01, 2019 1:41 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Thu Jan 31, 2019 3:58 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
In a M-Live story Winfrey said "leaders bring people together, they don't divide and conquer." Winfrey then stated that Mays had never been formally appointed and that Mays "was not willing to apply the rules fairly' Many council meetings had turned into marathon sessions, sometime lasting up to midnight because of Mays and his determination to dominate every meeting.
Once again Mays is threatening to organize recalls against his some of the council members. He had previously threatened 4th Ward Kate Fields and 9th Ward Eva Worthing because he "wanted to change the complexion of the council. Mays was convicted in 2013 of Disorderly Conduct after then Chair Monica Galloway had him removed from a public hearing. He has now focused on 5th Ward Santino Guerra because Guerra was the deciding vote to reject adding an additional $4.8 million to the AEcon contract after AEcon was shown to have breached the original contract. |
|
|
|
Thu Jan 31, 2019 4:24 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
However, the show that really demonstrated what really motivates Mays was the WFLT program co-hosted by Pastor Threlkeld and Pastor Flynn. To be fair Flynn did not engage in the dialogue and stated that when he watched the council meetings all he saw was fighting and he would not take sides. It was no surprise that Threkheld invited Mays as he usually supports Mays.
In a contrived and silly move Threlkeld introduced Mays as Pastor Mays. That gave Mays the opportunity to remind everyone that his deceased father had been Pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church and that the Church played a pivotal role in the development of Shiloh Commons townhouses.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Sun Feb 03, 2019 7:16 pm; edited 2 times in total |
|
|
|
Thu Jan 31, 2019 5:01 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Mays continued on his theme that the switch in the appointment violated council rules . It should be noted that the City Charter allows for the removal of a disruptive council member. It also described the behavior expected of a council member and civility in meetings.
Pastor Threlkeld almost appeared to enter into the Mays conspiracy theories as he commented how he "was keeping an eye on things" "something just don't seem right."
Mays has said repeatedly "Don't embarrass me -I don't treat people bad". As Mays continued his comments I thought they seemed erratic and irrational.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Sun Feb 03, 2019 7:18 pm; edited 2 times in total |
|
|
|
Thu Jan 31, 2019 5:07 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
One theme Mays developed on the show was how powerful the Finance Committee was and that as chair he would be able to direct how to direct how $630 million would be spent. He kept repeating about $200 million downtown but showed no correlation to his discussion. In an apparent appeal to the minority listening audience, he said he would support both W.T. Stevens and and Sam Cox. "Who is going to provide leadership? (Did that mean the City needed his leadership?)
He stated how the mayor brings proposals and they must find ways to fund. ??
He then confused the issue by bringing up attempts in Circuit Court to force subpoenas (on state officials ) followed by an announcement that the City has an alleged $19 million surplus in the general fund.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Fri Feb 01, 2019 1:43 pm; edited 2 times in total |
|
|
|
Thu Jan 31, 2019 7:16 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
The development of the conspiracy theory (just another one of many)
Are we entering the Bizarro World as Mays was quite confusing. He said I don't know "who is talking to who". He proclaimed that "Kate Fields was "100% the leader of the other faction". "Whites have their agenda". He claimed "they have got their way with him" referring to Santino Guerra. He went on to say "they don't want my agenda to happen." and it is all power and politics." "The community better wake up. Black men best wake up."
Mays has long obsessed with names he attributes to Fields and Worthing, such as racist, narcissist, misogynist and obtuse, calling it a violation of council rules. He never mentioned the three women from his ward or the public speakers that have objected to his name calling and threats.
Thank goodness Flynn had lined up a speaker on strategies for low income people to develop wealth. A bit of sanity!
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Thu Jan 31, 2019 1:53 pm; edited 2 times in total |
|
|
|
Thu Jan 31, 2019 7:32 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Sheldon Neeley had a full agenda on his show but Mays was on the AC Dumas show where he repeated much of the same rhetoric as he had on other shows. Mays accused Kate Fields of manipulating and that he didn't trust Monica or kate. He wanted to recall Monica Galloway, Kate Fields and Eva Worthing.
Really people you can't make this stuff up! |
|
|
|
Thu Jan 31, 2019 7:39 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Recall petitions were allegedly pulled yesterday
Maybe for the Mayor, Galloway, Fields, Worthing and Griggs. People are tired of the dysfunctional council!
Watch for the Pastors show and the AC Dumas Show on Saturdays WFLT 1470 am start telling their audience who must go! |
|
|
|
Thu Feb 07, 2019 6:31 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
http://www.flinttalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=12654
'Eric thinks he has come up with a brilliant way to eliminate those council members that don't see his brilliance. But, his trumped up ways to discredit his political foes will not work. Even the Governor must have specific valid concerns before he can remove an elected official. These women are not drunk nor have they been proven corrupt. Mays screaming that he is saving the City over the budget will not cut it and his defenses are not provable. These women will not bend to his demands, nor should they.
Eric keeps comparing this issue to the hearing of Darryl Buchanan and thinks he can eliminate them with a show cause hearing. That hearing cost over $340,000 and went all the way to Appellate Court. Council won. Where s Mays going to find the money to even attempt his grand debacle. " |
|
|
|
Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:40 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Mays tried to use the new charter to remove Fields, Worthing, and Griggs. When the vote went down 6 to 3, with Mays, Winfrey-Carter, and Davis supporting the motion, Mays filed a court motion against Fields, Worthing, Griggs,Guerra and Winfrey, He also mentioned Galloway on the Saturday morning talk shows. These are the six that did not support his motion.
When Mays called into the Pastors Show asking if they would support him , Pastor Flynn even told the assistant to cut Mays off as there were more callers and Flynn wanted to remark.
The male callers were angry at Mays and calling his stance nothing but EGo and was not about representing the First Ward/ |
|
|
|
Sun Mar 31, 2019 7:34 am |
|
|
|
Forum Rules:
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Register
Profile
FlintTalk.com Forum Index
> Political Talk
