The Greensboro City Council is deep into the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” mode in the case of former City Councilmember Michelle Kennedy being hired as Neighborhood Development Department director by the City of Greensboro.
However, not everyone agrees that is the proper response. Former District 5 City Councilmember and current District 5 City Council candidate Tony Wilkins, unlike members of the Greensboro City Council, decided to find out if it is actually legal for a sitting city councilmember to apply for a job with the interim city manager who directly reports to the City Council.
Wilkins talked to North Carolina District 59 state Rep. Jon Hardister, who is House majority whip, on Wednesday, Aug. 18 and, after receiving assurances from Hardister that the legislature would be interested in investigating the legality of the situation, Wilkins sent Hardister an email formally making that request.
In the email Wilkins states, “This email serves an inquiry into the recent actions of the Greensboro City Council and specifically former member Michelle Kennedy.
“I am including the news story for details. While this action certainly appears to be unethical, my question concerns the legality of such an action. This inquiry is not meant to be accusatory in nature but I find it necessary because none of the current council members have made any explanation to the public.”
When asked what happens next, Hardister said, “I’ll go to our legal staff in the General Assembly and get an opinion from them.”
Hardister added, “It doesn’t look right. I could see it as being unethical.”
But he added that he would leave it up to the legal staff of the General Assembly to make a ruling on the legality of a sitting city councilmember applying for a job with an interim city manager who reports directly to the city council.
He said, “Basically it’s the boss of the city manager applying for a job.”
Hardister said that the legislature might decide to clarify the existing state law to prevent city councilmembers from applying for jobs in the municipality they govern in the future.
Finally someone doing something about these city council people just doing whatever the heck they want and NOBODY speaking up. Thank you Mr Wilkins for stepping to the plate. It is like ,,,, couldn’t say no to hiring her, I answer to her.
Now we wait……
City knows the law and willfully, wantonly and with malice broke the law.
It sho nuff do smell funny to me. Local you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours kinda stuff.
We shall see.
Though not one of Kennedy’s fans, I don’t have an issue with her resigning to take a job for the city as long as she is qualified and there was a thorough review of other candidates. What I do take issue with is the suddenness and lack of transparency.
How dare someone take a job helping out poor people that calls for an investigation……….. It’s funny how Republicans only want to investigate Democrats instead of crimes by Republicans. Try to help out low income people you get an investigation but yet you insite rioters to try to overthrow our government on January 6th and that’s hunky dory and no attempts at an investigation are made.
The ethics and possible law violation lie in the fact that she applied for a job in which her subordinate was the person doing the hiring. Which means if he did not hire her there could have been consequences for his job. Council only supervises the city manager and city attorney. If she had resigned and THEN applied for the job the conflict goes away. This isn’t a Republican or Democrat issue. It’s an overall ethics issue that this council appears to really struggle with repeatedly. It is telling that not one of the remaining 8 council members made any statement in regards to her service or about her resignation. Not a word.
If it involves ethics, then it IS a democrat issue, since they seem to be seriously lacking in ethics. BTW, is Kennedy even qualified for the job?
You’ve entirely missed the point. The so-called ethics issue at its most amplified is trivial. Michelle Kennedy is about helping people less fortunate Republicans are the ones always jumping up and down about deregulation so let’s deregulate this one oh but I forgot the target is a Democrat so they’re going to go after her with both barrels
I really don’t care what she is, other than being a libtard and a crook. This argument has NOTHING to do with helping poor people, it’s about doing what is right! The damn City will continue the program regardless of who’s butt is in the director’s seat. The way she went about this whole deal is crooked as hell and she has no relevant qualifications other than fitting the political and gender check boxes on the City’s agenda. Just stop and look at the qualifications of the fella who’s leaving and that says it all. He was truly qualified for the job. Kennedy is barely qualified to mop my floors.
There was a time in this country when thugs looting and burning other innocent peoples property and businesses we shot on sight maybe it’s time to turn back the clock
Thugs with badges commit far more crimes than the black people that you are trying to scapegoat. Racism and wealth inequality are the reason that people experiencing poverty are so upset. We should go in and repossess massive amounts of billionaire wealth to fix this problem.
Why don’t you get started oh wait you did back in June when the thugs robbed looted and burned small business owners trying to make a living. I don’t think any of those people were billionaires but no matter to people like you it’s always about opportunity and justify your feelings
Exactly, last summer the night that B & friends were burning down the city, it was black small business owners that I helped pick up the glass from their shattered storefronts on Elm St. It was those folks who suffered, it was those folks who had their property vandalized and destroyed, it was those folks who were hearing gunshots from the crowd of “peaceful protesters” AKA B & the rest of the F-n THUGS along side us who were there to protect them. If that is how you show your support for black folks and their businesses that is pretty pathetic. The crappy part of our job is we have to protect the B’s and the law abiding citizens. The difference is we have morals and a ‘duty to act’ and protect so we do that without any reservation or question.
Sorry not sure I understand what you mean by scapegoating we’re private businesses not robbed looted and burned by thugs for their personal gain I don’t recall seeing anyone with a badge doing that in Greensboro or any of the cities across America that these acts occurred B you sooo dumb
Good grief! Who mentioned black people other than B? Yeah…. that’s what I thought. We could have said “good morning” and that would get turned around into some liberal race rant. And since you seem to know everything, I’m not even a republican, but I’ll certainly take one over the clown show we have in Washington any day.
B B B tsk tsk it’s not about democrats or Republicans it’s about ethics but I suppose you have to have ethics to understand what they are
That’s hilarious that someone belonging to the party of Donald Trump even mentions ethics. You really should start doing stand-up comedy.
B do you know what ASSumption means it makes an ass out of people like you just so you know I don’t like trump. I’m a registered Democrat and vote my conscience not always party lines can you say the same
Actually, we need the 2nd amendment to stop the proud boys , other white supremacists and to stop police brutality.
No investigation over the events of January 6 ?? You can come out from under that rock now B.
If it were up to the Republicans there would be no investigation into January 6th. You have to remember not a single Republican voted for this. Every single Republican voted against an investigation
And every single democrat voted for reparations What’s your point
reperations are necessary
Of course they will.
It’s not like they have a budget to get done or anything.
Im sure I’ve seen b walking around with a blm shirt
That statement proves that you don’t think that black lives matter. Keep ignoring the stats about police killing black people at a disproportionate rate, actually racist Republicans think of it as population control.
You will never stop the proud boys or anyone else who has similar beliefs. And where did the 2nd amendment come from we don’t give a crap about that we’re just like your thug brothers who don’t care about legal weapons b you’re ignorant
And you’re correct I don’t give a damn about blm
City hired probably the best candidate — highly qualified and experienced. What is this “illegal” allegations before you know the facts? This will be a tough job and city hired best person, and she believes in the work to be done. Seems to me lots of people go from elected office go to all kinds of jobs. Best wishes to all and important to respect all city staff and work with them.