LAUREL HILL — The City Council barely tabled discussion on filling its vacant seat, with Councilwomen Willie Mae Toles and Betty Williamson voting as they walked out of Thursday’s meeting.
The council has been deadlocked on filling the seat Clifton Hall vacated in November 2013, with Toles and Councilman Johnny James, both black, voting for Mary Bradbury and Williamson and Council Chairman Larry Hendren, both white, voting for Daniel Lane.
Since the November meeting, city attorney Dan Campbell questioned Bradbury’s residency, indicating her home may be outside city limits, which would disqualify her from representing the city.
At Campbell’s recommendation, Bradbury was removed from the candidates list while the residency issue is settled. Bradbury was out of town when the decision was made.
Resident Scott Moneypenny filed an application for the vacant seat. Moneypenny, like Bradbury, regularly attends council meetings.
Bradbury said she was not notified that her residency had been questioned, even when she was visiting city hall on another matter.
“Nobody said nothing,” she said. “I bought property here because I want to be part of this community.”
MOTION TO TABLE
Hendren moved to table discussion of the matter until Jan. 8 to give Campbell, who is recuperating from surgery, time to finish his research.
Then Toles claimed racism was involved.
“I didn’t know (Bradbury's) name was taken off and I’m a city council member,” Toles said, although the revised list of candidates was published before the scheduled Dec. 4 council meeting, which Toles missed.
Toles said she thinks white council members are planning to drive black members from the board.
“You going to get a little white man to take my place?” she asked, claiming she saw Hendren meeting with former mayor Joan Smith at her home.
“They’re gathering around. They got a conspiracy going,” James said.
Mayor Robbie Adams said the motion was to table discussion on the matter until Campbell’s investigation was completed.
The motion carried unanimously; the councilwomen voted while exiting the chamber, after which Hendren gaveled the meeting to a close.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 'THEY GOT A CONSPIRACY GOING': City leaders claim racial tension