Monrovians can look forward to an awkward dance between independent Mayor Friday Ellis and the Democrat-majority City Council over the next four years, if the current state of their relationship holds.
To say it’s been a rocky beginning isn’t an understatement. Since old hands in elected office but new councilors Democrats Rodney McFarland and Verbon Muhammad have taken office, joining with holdover Democrat Juanita Woods they have shifted the Council into a more combative posture than what Ellis experienced in his initial term in office. That last term, Ellis succeeded in swaying what then also was a Democrat-run council to support him on a number of big-ticket items.
Not so in the opening weeks of this term with an increasing roll call of dustups, where on a number of issues the new members were like Jacks-in-Boxes popping up to oppose whatever the Ellis Administration proposed – bond election, new purchasing rules, appointments, capital outlay spending – sometimes instituting delays, other times attempting to overrule. They constantly have complained that they aren’t consulted with enough and/or southside Monroe, where theirs and Woods’ districts are, doesn’t receive enough attention, especially in the form of dollars. Even when they go along with an administration-backed request, it has been like pulling teeth to get it to happen, as in the case of opening bids on an emergency project in Republican Councilor Doug Harvey’s district that Muhammad held up as an example of Ellis disregarding the southside.
For his part, Ellis has noted public information available about $54 million dedicated in his term to southside projects, most of which has been allocated. Council agendas also make clear what’s up for discussion including those items sponsored by Ellis, so nothing should be a surprise and affords plenty of chances for councilors to query Ellis prior to meetings if they have concerns, although on some matters the mayor tries to inform councilors on his own.
Not that Ellis has taken this lying down. After the Democrats repealed a sales tax election to back future bonds Dec. 7 and new purchasing rules, Ellis vetoed the reversals. These seem likely to stick with the support of Harvey and GOP Councilor Gretchen Ezernack, who were consistent Ellis allies in his first term.
Neither constituted bad policy. The sales tax dedication expires in 2029, so while a renewal now would be early, it’s not unreasonable if capital improvements continue to roll out for many years to come, since long-term bonds would extend well past five years from now. Nor is loosening purchasing rules, which are more restrictive than the state’s, to a level equivalent to state standards, and otherwise invited micromanagement of the contracting process.
This may become a familiar pattern – the Democrat Council majority proposes something, Ellis casts a sustained veto – as well as Ellis finding his agenda as intended stymied. In other words, what is policy is set in stone and nothing significant changes. This makes for a recipe of stagnation, which isn’t a bad thing in government but if drawing its activities largely to a halt threatens to make it dysfunctional.
Ellis may have to act as the only adult in the room, at least for awhile. The new councilors previously served on an elective body that appointed government’s chief executive, so they may view even an independently-elected mayor as a kind of employee used to taking orders. An incomplete understanding of how tripartite government works as well may be aggravated by an inflated sense of power that expects some kowtowing from Ellis.
So, Ellis may have to bend over backwards to inform the majority about all of his initiatives and appointments, even the most mundane, and explain his support to prevent further friction. But both sides are going to have to engage in some horse trading if anything except the perfunctory is to happen. The upcoming budget preparation and passage will provide an acid test as to whether Monroe avoids a continuing struggle between an irresistible force and an unmovable object.
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