City politics is a game of inches—agonizingly so, at times, as attested by these collected dispatches from political columnist Jon Ralston. He and his Blueberry PDA attended last week's special City Council meeting—the one that discussed double-dipping city employee/legislator Wendell Williams—sending almost-real-time updates to subscribers of his Flash e-mail service. One pictures Ralston furiously thumbing the Blueberry's tiny keyboard as the pols pile one silliness on top of another. Now, thanks to the miracle of print on paper, the political junkies among you can follow along at home!
2:08 p.m.
T-minus 30 minutes until spectacle begins at City Hall.
Dear Flashees, I am here at the relocated headquarters of the heart of darkness. The signs are ominous—state Sen. Joe Neal and Rev. Jesse Scott are here, as are other activists, surely to support ordinary, run-of-the-mill city employee Wendell Williams. The doors will open soon and the circus will begin and ... you are sort of there ...
More later.
2:24 p.m.
One thing to remember: As my colleague Sito Negron reports in today's Sun, despite their mewling, the council folks have final say over these matters. Note that the City Charter, Section 3.210 reads that appointive employees may be removed at any time by the city manager but "subject to ratification by the City Council." That is, they can say they have no authority but what they really need is, um, intestinal fortitude ...
2:48 p.m.
The meeting begins.
The room is about a third filled.
Wendell Williams is here with his lawyer and wife.
Sharon Segerblom is not here, but her husband and lawyer are.
Regent Linda Howard is here. So is ex-Assemblyman Gene Collins.
Lots of cameras.
Mayor is reading prepared statement. Reciting facts and so-called Barton rule, named for former city manager, allowing for benefits to be paid for only one day of work per pay period.
Oscar Goodman says policies are woeful and need to be established. He appears to be sticking to script in front of him. He is reading like an automaton. He defends this as forum and says it will assure "there is no cover-up."
Says principals can speak but must be placed under oath and matters could be reviewed by district attorney's office.
Says audit raises many questions:
Why Barton rule violated?
Was there quid pro quo with Williams in Legislature?
How did last-chance agreement get signed at Williams' home and without city attorney?
Why Segerblom fired without council ratification?
Who leaked to the media? (Besides stuff he gave to his biographer, I suppose.)
Says he will ask for manager to enact policies for cell-phone usage and sick leave and city employees in Legislature and proper penalties. Also asks for a line item on ratification on Segerblom's firing—if she has been fired.
More from the new heart of darkness as auditor takes oath ...
3:12 p.m.
More from the dark heart and the Oscar and the Five Dwarves show (Janet Moncrief is absent):
Auditor Rad Snelding is explaining Barton rule. Goodman is in cross-examine mode. The council, as usual, seems superfluous. Perhaps His Honor will allow them to talk and even ask questions later.
Snelding says no one knew why it was abandoned.
Mayor asks if can say anyone is complicit and if power for polygraphs. He says no.
Goodman asks about annexation bill quid pro quo for Williams promotion.
Why promoted, Goodman asks. Snelding says ex-manager Virginia Valentine and Segerblom both denied doing it. Goodman calls it "immaculate conception" of a promotion. Steve Houchens, deputy city manager, told Snelding he couldn't recall why promoted. Houchens signed it—wonder if Goodman will ask that later of him.
Goodman asks about last-chance agreement. Snelding says only two occasions used for non-bargaining employee and Williams was one of them. Why city attorney not involved, Goodman asks. Snelding says timing was problem.
What about Hatch Act? Snelding doesn't know.
Ah—the council is given leave to speak by His Honor.
Lynette Boggs McDonald asks to see promotion documentation.
She asks the right question of Houchens about the promotion. He says nothing. Goodman says he can be put under oath later.
Lawrence Weekly says lot of gaps in Snelding's findings. Hello, understatement. Asks Snelding about annexation and Doolittle Center and funding. Weekly says he believes conversations did take place with Williams about annexation bill.
Michael Mack is talking. He asks about a fraud hot line as exists in Shreveport. Really. That's what he asked.
I am having legislative flashbacks ...
3:31 p.m.
More from the already mind-numbing city show trial presided over by Judge Goodman and his clerks:
Larry Brown tries to trace promotion history. No luck with Snelding, either.
Houchens is sworn in. Says promotion request usually comes from department head.
Boggs McDonald says IT folks should be able to trace trail of e-mails to find out who initiated promotion. Good idea.
Manager Doug Selby is now sworn in. Takes responsibility for last-chance agreement.
Boggs McDonald says never want to second-guess leadership—although, of course, that's what this proceeding is all about—but how were past instances handled? Nothing like this ever happened, Selby says. She asks if appointive employees ever terminated. He says yes.
More to come. We are really getting nowhere now ...
4:12 p.m.
More from the excitement-challenged city hearing:
Slow going with human-resources boss and finance director sworn in.
Retracing steps on time cards and sick leave with finance boss Mark Vincent. Says he told Segerblom use of sick leave by Williams seemed excessive.
Says third series of amendment on time cards amounted to several thousand bucks. Allowed him to agree to pay over one year and is similar to other agreements with employees.
Goodman invites Williams to speak. Lawyers for him and Segerblom rise. Goodman waves them off and mutters: "Putting counsel under oath does us no good."
Williams decides to speak. When audience members applaud, Goodman declares, without any irony, "This isn't a performance."
Williams says he was assigned tasks for Legislature by Segerblom. Told in 2001 that supposed to work for city up there, he says. Williams says e-mails exist that say he was given assignments. Says investigation came up after discipline. On last-chance, says no previous record of problems. Also thought it would never be public and in press.
Says time cards never filled out. Doesn't remember ever filling out, probably signed blank ones. Says never provided info in 2001. But he did provide info in last session.
This year he says told by boss need to show more documentation.
Asked about annexation bill. He says in 2001 he brought it back to life. Says no conversations about rewards before passage. After he says he was told it was appreciated. Then he got promoted. After session he says he met with then-manager Virginia Valentine, who said she hoped would stay with city and that he would be appreciated. Goodman asks if he knows Valentine has denied quid pro quo and that he is under oath. Williams says: Absolutely.
Larry Brown takes over.
Williams repeats that e-mails exist from Segerblom with instructions to do work during session.
As for blank time cards, he says he informed superiors that it was done. Same people who filled out in both past sessions and more hours in 2001, he says. Why no red flags two years ago, Williams wants to know.
Says Morse Arberry told him that procedure has been same for years and that others decided whether sick leave should be put down at their discretion. Says he didn't know what they were putting down. Says no one said anything wrong with using sick leave. But Goodman asks why he didn't think anything was wrong. He says he didn't think much about it but says later amended time cards.
Mack asks about annexation bill. Says he didn't realize Williams was instrumental in reviving bill. Mack says he appreciates Williams' effort on annexation bill. Hey, councilman, maybe he deserves a raise.
Goodman asks about ethical considerations about double-dipping. Williams says he can help city through contacts.
More to come. My head hurts.
4:31 p.m.
More from the scintillating show of good government at City Hall:
Weekly says public is sick of it. Says shouldn't focus on one or two people. And should apologize to the public for past practices. If these two people are in trouble, Weekly says, others should be, too.
Boggs McDonald says more questions raised. Says all of us bear responsibility for this. Has been some hypocrisy she says, because previously there was a desire to have Assembly folks work for the city as "wink and a nod."
Says she understands why Segerblom felt awkward supervising a legislator. She says should have personnel session with manager to talk about policies to make them consistent.
Mack says should not take away ability of city employees to serve in Legislature. Says should make all of them full-time to avoid conflicts of interests. Good point, councilman—heal thyself.
Sayeth Gary Reese: Nothing. Still.
Goodman again: Says direct manager to rectify shoddy, shameful policies on cell phones, sick leave, last-chance agreements and penalties for behavior. Also wants item to ratify Segerblom's alleged termination. Also item on Hatch Act. Also item on full-time council. Also item on strong-mayor form of government. Also wants personnel session to "candidly address" issues raised today—as opposed, I suppose, to the rehash and gobbledygook of today. Do it in private like the regents, I suppose.
What a joke, folks. No new information, no apparent desire to get to the bottom of anything. In short, they did nothing.
4:53 p.m.
More as my head pounds:
Goodman asks about policy on city employees serving in elective office:
Reese speaks, says he's always felt we live in America. Yes, he said that. So people can do this.
Brown refers obliquely to county indictments and embarrassment. Says never can create fail-safe mechanism. Can't legislate ethics or morals. Need to weed out bad apples.
Boggs McDonald: Says fail-safe is to prohibit city employees from serving. Mentions separation of powers. Mentions Perkins' ability to push consolidated tax bill for Henderson as egregious example. How, she asks, can Williams or Arberry oppose city initiative when their employer wants it?
Mack: OK for them to serve, he reiterates.
Weekly: It's a matter of opinion, he says.
Selby says both Williams and Segerblom have been advised they have been terminated but not officially fired. Says he will consider what happened here before taking final action. Huh? I repeat: Huh? What could have changed his mind that happened today?
Goodman again: Says interesting philosophical question. Says until Legislature puts in place disclosure and abstention policy, "I don't want to be at a disadvantage." That is, let's play the game until the rules change (although they are supposed to declare conflicts). Doesn't think they should serve but needs to hear from Legislature first on conflicts, which makes no sense. Until then, they can serve if they take leave.
So it ends—the public is about to comment—as it began: In a morass of indecision and posturing. I am shocked.
Joe Neal is about to speak. That's my cue to leave, dear Flashees. If you want the public comment, turn on Channel 2.
[
At press time, the Review-Journal was reporting that Williams had been fired. — Editor]