Whitney Downard / The Meridian StarThe Meridian City Council on Tuesday failed to override Mayor Percy Bland's veto of a council action to cut the Chief Administrative Officer's pay to $0. 

An effort to suspend the pay of the City of Meridian’s Chief Administrative Officer passed two weeks ago, but failed Tuesday night to garner enough votes to overturn the mayor’s subsequent veto. 

Weston Lindemann, of Ward 5; Kim Houston, of Ward 4; and Tyrone Johnson, of Ward 2; all voted to override Mayor Percy Bland’s veto on the council order to cut Richie McAlister’s pay to $0 but needed four votes to pass the measure.

Fannie Johnson, of Ward 4, and George Thomas, of Ward 1, both voted against the action. 

“This is wrong. I think it’s based on personality,” Thomas said. “We’re not the boss. The mayor is their boss and the mayor can decide if he wants to hire or fire somebody.”

Lindemann, who spearheaded the effort to cut McAlister’s pay, said that allegations made against the administration in the past year warranted the action. 

“There are lawsuits (against the City of Meridian) as a result of his management style,” Lindemann said. “There is plenty of evidence in the Civil Service system.”

Former department heads Bunky Partridge, who oversaw Community Development, and Kelvin McGruder, who oversaw Parks and Recreation, have both filed actions against the city and cited interactions with McAlister in their initial complaints. 

Responding to Thomas’ statements about the seemingly ‘personal’ nature of the vote, Lindemann said, “it seems the only reason anyone could support keeping the current CAO is because of a personal relationship.”

Fannie Johnson and Tyrone Johnson, who tele-conferenced into Tuesday’s meeting from out of town, declined to share comments about their votes during the meeting.

Houston cited unhappy city employees and low morale as evidence of McAlister’s reputation, saying she had no “personal beef.”

“I have experienced (McAlister) in a way that I thought was very unprofessional… so I can only imagine what day-to-day employees go through,” Houston said. 

Houston asked for the administration to be more transparent with the council without adding last-minute actions to meeting agendas.

“Just about every day there’s something that we have to vote on today or do today,” Houston said. “We’re put in positions where we made bad decisions because we were rushed.” 

Houston said that McAlister’s appointment had been a temporary measure and said that she had asked Bland after his re-election about establishing a search team for a new CAO. 

“It’s not personal. This was supposed to be temporary,” Houston said. “A number of people have approached me and thanked me (for the CAO pay cut vote) – business folks, people from the community – and it’s black and white folks, so it’s not an issue of race… I don’t know if this will be overturned tonight or not but I hope if you continue to work in that positiosn we will put the people first.

“I do hope we can move forward professionally.”

Following the failed override, Lindemann immediately asked to amend the agenda to authorize a council investigation into the actions of McAlister. 

Lindemann, Houston and Tyrone Johnson voted to amend the agenda but, following Tyrone Johnson’s suggestion, voted to table the issue for a special meeting next week after the city’s attorneys asked for time to review the law surrounding council investigations. 

“We are not the first municipality to do this,” Lindemann said. 

Bland repeated that he would take action if any wrongdoing came to light but said he wanted to wait for the outcome of “all these investigations.” 

Bland previously revealed a State Auditor’s investigation into the city concerning McGruder’s actions in the Parks and Recreation department. 

“The council and the mayor have to work together for progress in this city,” Bland said following the meeting. “I will continue to direct my department heads, including Mr. McAlister and he will continue to direct department heads as part of his duties.”