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Council members concerned about seat changes
By Chris Sykes, Staff Writer
Two members of the City Council said they did not expect to see a grown-up version of “musical chairs” when members met for their Feb. 2 meeting.
Two weeks ago, Council President Edward Marable moved his seat from its position in the middle of the dais next to the City Clerk Dwight Mitchell to a spot at one edge of the dais, next to the city Business Administrator John Mason. Mason was sitting where Mayor Eldridge Hawkins Jr. sat, and Hawkins sat in the middle.
The questions on some observers’ minds was what prompted the switch in position and did it indicate something deeper within the city’s government.
The council members, Councilman Elroy Corbitt and Councilwoman Lisa Perkins were willing to go on record with their opinions and observations about the seating arrangement “incident.”
Both of them said they believed Marable had “issues” with Mitchell that the council agreed to discuss prior to the Feb. 2 meeting. Yet no decision had been made by the group to approve a change in seating.
“A decision by the council is supposed to be one where all the members discuss an issue, then reach an agreement and consensus on how to proceed. That was not done in this case,” Corbitt said.
“If we had been asked if it was OK for the council president we chose from among ourselves to move his seat because he is having a problem dealing with the city clerk, I would have said, ‘No, don’t do it,’ ” Corbitt continued. “We’re all adults here and we have to get along with each other for the best interests of everyone in Orange.”
Corbitt said a council seat is a long way from the playground or basketball courts where children interact and socialize. He said in those settings, it might be common for one child to get upset and decide to “take his ball and go home” and ruin the game for everyone. But, Corbitt continued, that’s not how adults are supposed to handle disputes or differences of opinion.
Two members of the City Council said they did not expect to see a grown-up version of “musical chairs” when members met for their Feb. 2 meeting.
Two weeks ago, Council President Edward Marable moved his seat from its position in the middle of the dais next to the City Clerk Dwight Mitchell to a spot at one edge of the dais, next to the city Business Administrator John Mason. Mason was sitting where Mayor Eldridge Hawkins Jr. sat, and Hawkins sat in the middle.
The questions on some observers’ minds was what prompted the switch in position and did it indicate something deeper within the city’s government.
The council members, Councilman Elroy Corbitt and Councilwoman Lisa Perkins were willing to go on record with their opinions and observations about the seating arrangement “incident.”
Both of them said they believed Marable had “issues” with Mitchell that the council agreed to discuss prior to the Feb. 2 meeting. Yet no decision had been made by the group to approve a change in seating.
“A decision by the council is supposed to be one where all the members discuss an issue, then reach an agreement and consensus on how to proceed. That was not done in this case,” Corbitt said.
“If we had been asked if it was OK for the council president we chose from among ourselves to move his seat because he is having a problem dealing with the city clerk, I would have said, ‘No, don’t do it,’ ” Corbitt continued. “We’re all adults here and we have to get along with each other for the best interests of everyone in Orange.”
Corbitt said a council seat is a long way from the playground or basketball courts where children interact and socialize. He said in those settings, it might be common for one child to get upset and decide to “take his ball and go home” and ruin the game for everyone. But, Corbitt continued, that’s not how adults are supposed to handle disputes or differences of opinion.
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