MONTGOMERY – A Montgomery County Commission meeting Tuesday, Dec. 17 became briefly contentious when two members argued about appointments to the Montgomery Community Action nonprofit board.
During the county commission’s information meeting, Commissioner Daniel Harris said that he was told the Montgomery Community Action executive director has been trying to remove several board members because they had not been reappointed by the commission.
“I think the claim is that ADECA (the Alabama Department of Community and Economic Affairs) funding was in jeopardy unless these board members are reappointed,” Harris said. “So I think it’s something we need to move forward on.”
Commissioner Carmen Moore-Ziegler said that she had actually spoken with someone at ADECA, and the funding was not in “jeopardy.” But she added that the commission should investigate the matter.
Commissioner Isiah Sankey said that he believed it was the “general consensus” to allow current board members to continue their stints even if they were appointed in a timely manner. He added that one of his constituents is a board member, and he would support keeping her on the board.
Chairman Doug Singleton told the commission that if they want to submit names for reappointment, they can vote on it at the next meeting.
However, Harris took issue with the executive director (Benjamin Jones) removing or “threatening” to remove board members. Moore-Ziegler interjected, and the conversation became heated.
“I’m not talking to you, I’m talking to the chairman,” Harris said, to which Moore-Ziegler replied, “I’m talking to you. I’m talking to you. You’re not going to disrespect me.”
She then alleged that Harris had been disrespectful to her previously.
They were asked to calm down before Harris urged reappointing the members as soon as possible.
He concluded by going on the record to say that he has “done nothing but try to respect” Moore-Ziegler and the other commissioners.
Moore-Ziegler disagreed.
“I stand on the record that … my commissioners want me to support them, but when I need support, I’m left out to hang and dry,” she said. “And that I go on the record with.”
Singleton said that there have been conflicts with Community Action, though he stressed that the commission’s place is to appoint members to the board, not get involved in their operations.
He restated that names can be submitted for the commission to consider later, but he said that he would not support any board member who has criticized any members of the commission publicly or privately.
The Montgomery County Commission meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 101 South Lawrence Street. Information sessions begin at 10 a.m. followed by the formal meeting.
Livestreamed meetings can be seen on the commission’s YouTube and Facebook pages.
Agendas with additional details can be found at the commission’s documents section of the website.
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