Last week there was an article from the Daily News about my appointment by Mayor Myron Lowery to the Memphis Pension Board. My appointment was approved barely by the subcommittee on a 3 to 2 vote (Shea, Chairman, Strickland and Hedgepeth FOR, Fulliove and Collins, AGAINST). (I have attached an article from the Daily News about the vote).

The favorable subcommittee vote had to be approved or denied by the Memphis City Council at a subsequent meeting on September 15^th. I was under no illusions that the approval would be easy as there is a hard core of Herenton supporters on the City Council who are against anything that might upset the current status and course of City Government and their control of that course.

My agreement to serve was based on my belief that all transactions in Government should be transparent. When asked to speak before the City Council I pointed this out and pointed out that I had proposed a change in the City Charter (during the Charter Commission hearings) that would have required all significant contract and financial transactions be immediately posted on the City Website. Had this been approved, then the Elbert Jefferson payments to Robert Spence would have been revealed in time to do something about it. I also pointed out that I would be the one public member on the board and would have no power to change anything and that only the City Council could change pension plan provisions. I did say that I thought that the pension system should be changed for future employees to a defined contribution plan (like for profit companies and employees) but not for existing public employees.

I was opposed by two union representatives who said that my presence on the pension board would hurt employee morale. I also was opposed by Barbara Swearengen Ware who quoted from my website about revelations that I had uncovered by open records requests. In general I was depicted as an all around horrible person and I requested the time to leave early so I could go home and continue beating my wife.

In the end I was approved on a 6 to 5 vote and as I left the chamber, I was called back and told that I was defeated because they claimed that I needed seven votes to pass (according to Allan Wade, the City Council attorney). I have been told that that standard is not true for appointments but the matter is still under discussion.

I want to thank those on the Council who supposed me and my call for transparency in government. I also want to thank Mayor Myron Lowery for having the courage to appointment me and to call for transparency in all government affairs and for an end to the black/white racial divide. There is, however, a hard core group on the City Council who are determined to block any real reforms.

Regardless of what happens, I will continue to call for transparency in government and I ask for your support in this effort. I have some good news and plans for the future which I will be communicating to you soon. Thanks for your past support and encouragement.

Click here to see a recent article about my aborted appointment to the pension board