Mayor says city council is micromanaging government, asks for more spending powers

Mayor James Perkins Jr. says the city council is micromanaging city government. Some members of the city council say they are doing their job of overseeing city expenses. 

This difference in positions dominated Tuesday's city council meeting. The discussion ended when the city council tabled a resolution proposed by Perkins to remove current requirements to bring all expenditures over $5,000 to the council for approval. The council also tabled a resolution from Perkins to remove a policy that prevents department heads from moving funds over $5,000 within their department budget. 

Under current procedures, any expenditure over $5,000 must come before the council for approval. Perkins told the council he finds that rule “redundant” because the council has already approved the budget and the city treasurer, who works for the council, must approve expenditures. The council gets a monthly report of spending. 

Council President Warren “Billy” Young proposed upping the approval amount to $10,000. Perkins was not impressed.

“I appreciate the good faith effort, but the problem is not the amount. It’s the process,” Perkins said. “The process should not require a second approval, especially when the council is getting monthly reports. You approved the budget and hired the treasurer. What you’re saying is you don’t trust the treasurer, the mayor or the department heads. That is micromanaging.”

Perkins said the procedures also create a “bottleneck” because bringing a purchase to the could delay a purchase by as much as two weeks.  

“Frankly, it’s not necessary at this point to put this piece of red tape in the process,” Perkins said. “Let’s get back to normal and do the bus of the city. That’s all I am recommending.” 

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Several councilmembers said they disagreed with Perkins’ position. 

“I think it’s good practice to present items to the council for approval,” Councilwoman Christie Thomas said. “It’s not micromanaging; it’s being held accountable as a council person.”

Councilwoman Jannie Thomas pointed out that the Examiners of Public Accounts said in their last audit that the council “should be more involved” in how the city spends its money. “If we both work together according to the legislation, according to policies and procedures, these will work good for both sides,” Thomas said. 

City Attorney Major Madison Jr. told the council it has the right to set policy on spending, but he urged the council to “undo this policy, because you’re tying (the mayor’s) hands to run city government.” 

“I can’t tell the council or the mayor what to do,” Madison said. 

In an interview with the Selma Sun, Lori Lein, general counsel for the Alabama League of Municipalities, said “it’s all over the board” how cities in Alabama handle expenditures. “Some cities require every single expenditure to go before the council,” Lein said. “The mayor can’t even pay the power bill. Other councils kind of turn a blind eye.

“But at the end of the day, the law is clear that the council controls the finances of the city and the policies under which money is spent,” she said. “Neither (the council or the mayor’s) position is unreasonable per se. But it’s the council’s decision.”