Macon-Bibb County Commission overrides mayor's veto

Macon-Bibb County commissioners voted 7-2 Tuesday to override the mayor's recent veto of a resolution that would limit his power to fire department heads.

The resolution requests the introduction of a bill during the next state legislative session that would change the county's charter to allow commissioners the option of overturning department head firings. The current charter allows the mayor to fire department heads without input from commissioners.

The resolution, first passed last month with the same 7-2 vote, says the commission could request the mayor to provide a reason for a termination, as well as allow the commission to vote on upholding or reversing a firing.

Commissioners Mallory Jones and Gary Bechtel voted against the resolution in December and against overriding the mayor's veto.

"In my mind, we're trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist," Jones said before the vote. "We need a team spirit. We need accountability, which we have. It's working well."

Bechtel agreed.

"When a department head accepts the job, they understand they've moved into a management position," Bechtel said. "That's the way the business world works, that's the way this government works, and that's the way this Legislature put this (charter) together."

Commissioner Bert Bivins was among the majority of commissioners who voted for the override.

"If I was a well-qualified person looking for a job ... I wouldn't come to a place where one person could decide my fate," Bivins said.

Should the request for the charter change fail in the state Legislature, Commissioner Elaine Lucas said the commission would consider changing the charter by itself as allowed under the "home rule."

"I don't know where this is going to end up eventually," Lucas said. "If we're going to attract and retain good quality folks who aren't shaking in their boots every day, then we better put something in place sooner rather than later."

Commissioner Larry Schlesinger also voted for the override but said he's not wed to the idea of the commission being the final authority in deciding the dismissal of a department head.

"I think we need a system of checks and balances," he said. "I think we've got a system in the ways of checks. ... I don't think there's balances there."

In other business Tuesday, commissioners voted unanimously to spend $1.8 million on upgrades to the Memorial Park Community Center to be completed by Piedmont Construction Group Inc. A new pool is among additions to the community center that will be paid for using special purpose local option sales tax.

Commissioners also unanimously signed off on the qualifying fees for upcoming county elections. The fees, set by state law, are 3 percent of the salary for the various positions.

Qualifying for the elections will take place March 7-11.

Non-partisan races up for grabs this year include the mayor's seat, each of the nine county commission seats, Probate Court judge, coroner, school board district seats 1 through 6 and two Macon Water Authority district posts. Voters will decide those races in May with a July runoff date if necessary.

The primary for the partisan races, which includes Superior Court clerk, sheriff, solicitor general and tax commissioner, will be in May.

The general election will be held November.

To contact writer Laura Corley, call 744-4334 or follow her on Twitter@Lauraecor.

This story was originally published January 5, 2016 at 8:11 PM with the headline "Macon-Bibb County Commission overrides mayor's veto ."