Published: December 10, 2008 09:45 am      

MEDS appointment put on ice

Dueling prepared statements and barbs of indignation were traded Tuesday night over the proposed appointment of a board member who had made contributions to the recent campaigns of some city councilors.

“I think we have just been accused of being bribed,” councilman John Browne said in response a statement read by fellow councilor Sam Mason at the council meeting.

Mason, the councilman for Ward Six, had called attention to donations made to Browne, Mayor Kevin Priddle and councilman Chris Fiedler during their recent election campaigns by Lee Anderson, general manager for McAlester Radio. Anderson was on Tuesday’s agenda for re-appointment to the McAlester Economic Development Service board.

“In acceptance of these cash contributions and potentially casting a vote in this confirmation process, if nothing else, presents the appearance, real or imagined, that votes by recipients of Mr. Anderson’s contributions were solicited or even purchased,” Mason had read in his statement.

“I stand by my statements,” Mason said in response to Browne’s allegation that he’d been accused of bribery. “I did not say that,” Mason added.

Eventually, the appointment was tabled and referred by the mayor to the city’s Ethics Board for an opinion.

The MEDS board had voted unanimously last month to recommend Anderson and Kenny Edwards of AmericInn be appointed to the board. They were among a slate of five, and the council Tuesday accepted the mayor’s appointments of the other three: Steve Benefield of Choctaw manufacturing operations, Tom Bledsoe of Komar and Fred Probis of Kiamichi Tech.

The recommendations approved by the MEDS board in November had been prepared by the board’s nominating committee — Jack Inman, chairman Dr. Kenneth Miller of Warren Clinic and Darryl Wright.

“These (nominations) weren’t made lightly,” Inman said during the Nov. 18 MEDS meeting. “We felt like this would be best for us all.”

Both Anderson and MEDS Director Jim “Red” Mills attended Tuesday’s council session. This morning, Anderson said he felt as though he’d been accused of bribery.

“I really think Sam (Mason), he accused me of bribing those guys last night, and accused them of taking bribes,” Anderson said. “It’s a good thing he didn’t let me get to the podium. My temper ... there’s no telling what I might have said.”

Mason had read his five-paragraph statement after Priddle read his own — three pages and 19 paragraphs long. The mayor’s statement noted the city has a Board of Ethics to issue opinions on matters, that the city has a Conflict of Interest ordinance, and cited the city charter’s sections on Powers and Duties of the Mayor. The statement asked the Ethics Board’s opinion about whether or not he can appoint donors of campaign contributions to city boards. The statement also removed Anderson from consideration until he received an answer from the ethics board. Later, the mayor also removed Edwards’ name, because he said Edwards had also made campaign donations.

The city’s ethics board is made up of J.T. Collier of Pride of McAlester; James Ward; Dr. Lucy Smith, former superintendent of McAlester Public Schools; Col. Jerald Kleager, retired; and Emma Watts, Jackie Brannon Correctional Center.

Priddle’s statement was attached to copies of the city ordinances referenced and was handed out during the meeting to councilmen and audience members who wanted them.

After reading his statement, Priddle said there would be no discussion or vote on the matter. Mason, however, said that he also had comments and read his own statement.

This morning, Anderson said he did not expect any appointment or special treatment from the council in return for his donations.

“I didn’t donate to his campaign just to get on that board,” he said. “I donated because I didn’t like the direction politics were taking. I didn’t like the direction the city was going under the old administration.”

The March election put three new members on the council: Priddle, Browne and Fiedler. Browne beat former councilman Travis Read for election to Ward 3, while Priddle beat out Mason and another candidate for the mayor’s post. Neither the incumbent mayor nor former Ward One councilman Weldon Smith ran for re-election, although Fiedler had an opponent in his race for the post.

Anderson said Lewis “was a good guy, a good mayor.”

“The mayor can only do what the council lets him do,” Anderson said of Lewis. “He can be out-voted.”

The broadcaster said Mason opposes his appointment because Anderson has taken the council — and Mason in particular — to task in the past.

“He’s upset with me because I’ve made remarks about him on the radio,” Anderson said. “I look at those councilmen just like anyone in office.

“If they do something good, you brag about him. If they don’t, you don’t brag about them. And he takes offense to it.”

In his statement, Mason had said Anderson “publicly and repeatedly exhibited extreme animosity toward certain members of this council.”

Mason said the animosity was exhibited while Anderson was on the MEDS board and afterwards; Anderson withdrew his nomination for re-appointment in June.

“In so doing, his conduct cast a shadow on all members of the MEDS board,” Mason’s statement alleged.

Anderson said he shouldn’t be penalized for publicly commenting on a councilor or a council’s action.

“It’s freedom of speech,” he said. “I have a right to criticize him or anyone on that council.

“The only agenda I have is to continue to seek progress in McAlester and to see the town grow and develop.”