Today’s Richmond County Commission meeting picked up where it left of at the previous commission meeting, with Commissioner Williams being granted an audience to once again rub the mayor’s nose in what Williams says is the mayor’s procedural errors regarding motions.
The ever confident Williams came to the plate perhaps a little too confident. Perhaps he was thinking of a clever line. Perhaps his bowtie was too tight. Whatever the reason, he was a floating duck on the pond for the mayor.
Mr. Mayor: “Alright, the chair is going to recognize the commissioner from the ninth. You’ve asked for a point of order. Are you pointing out a failure that we’ve had in terms of our meeting procedure?”
Marion Williams: “Oh no, we gonna get to procedures later, Mr. Mayor.” (chuckling)
Mr. Mayor: ….pause…“That’s what a point of order is, sir.”
Game. Set. Match! It was clear there was going to be no getting up after that costly faux pas.
Commissioner Williams: “Well, a point of order is, uh-a point of clarity then…I’m sorry-I’m sorry, I mean you learnin’ the rules. I ain’t mad….Point of…..Clarity.”
After that embarrassment, Williams discussed another matter, after which the mayor circled back.
Mr. Mayor: “The chair recognizes the commissioner from the 9th.”
Commissioner Williams: “Well, thank you Mr. Mayor. I’m glad you straightened me out on the point of order a few minutes ago.”
Williams spends a few minutes rehashing last meeting’s procedural infractions, then closes with this bon mot.
“If we don’t get a handle on it, Mr. Mayor, I think we gonna end up in a bad place.
That’s why I got this on here, to discuss the rules. You got a copy? Maybe you want to enlighten us on some of that new stuff you got.”
Mr. Mayor: (Barely audible) “No, I don’t think I’m capable.”
And with that, the mayor let Williams know he does not care for being made a fool of.
So the next time Williams announces his intention of publicly taking the mayor to the woodshed, he better pay attention and focus-lest the mayor outwit him again.
Now, back to running the city.
