I had some unanswered questions earlier in the week about Wilmington City government's response to financing Brandon Potter's private hip hop party.
And today (News Journal) Andrew Staub and Adam Taylor finally report ~ MAYOR: JONES-POTTER ABUSED HER AUTHORITY - Williams says ‘no way around’ fact that she misused power of office
Go get the paper today or read it online for the full story of Monday night's public hearing. There is much more.........“In the midst of all this, it was very clear that she was upset at the potential of this event being canceled,” said Tiffany Christopher, special events coordinator for the city. As her son faced the possibility of his concert folding – and questions of whether he had insurance in case that happened – Jones-Potter called the mayor’s office. “I spoke to the mayor, and I indicated to him that there seems to be a real problem here with providing coverage in and around the Riverfront,” Jones-Potter told council, later adding, “So the mayor’s response was that the police chief would need to meet that afternoon and determine what needed to be done to provide coverage.” In reality, her son’s concert was the only event that did not have a full complement of officers, said John Matlusky, the mayor’s chief of staff. Williams said Jones-Potter led him to believe that all Riverfront events that weekend were dealing with a police coverage crisis, and he had told her to work it out. “Foxtail never came up,” Williams said of the call call from Jones-Potter. “I didn’t know anything about what was going on with Foxtail because I know it was a private thing, and I don’t get into that.” Williams said he would not have authorized police coverage for a for-profit event at the city’s expense, and he had no idea Jones-Potter was representing Foxtail Fest in city meetings.
........according to Ayala’s and Cummings’ statements to council members, they complied because they believed their supervisors expected it. The fact that Jones-Potter had summoned Police Chief Christine Dunning, Ayala and Cummings told them the concert must go on. “It was clear to me that it was gonna happen,” Cummings told council. “When you have the chief of police and the two inspectors come to a meeting for a special event, to me that’s giving me direction that this event’s going to go.” Cummings and Ayala told the council that they viewed Jones-Potter as a superior in that meeting. “They were responding to whatever pressure she was applying in the room,” Williams said.
Cummings said an agreement was reached for nine officers to work the event at the city’s expense. That number ballooned to 20 the next day, after he met with one of Brandon Potter’s co-organizers and realized fencing provided by the city was inadequate to keep people from sneaking into the event. Dunning told the council that 20 officers was a reasonable number for the concert, especially because it turned out to be “an extremely busy weekend.” Seven people were shot, and there was a fatal fire and a woman killed by a motorcyclist. Without officers assigned to Foxtail, “you would be pulling basic units that would be servicing calls” if cops had to respond to the concert, Dunning said.
........Jones-Potter has said she called Public Works Commissioner Cleon L. Cauley Sr. the day before the concert to discuss dumpsters, after Brandon Potter asked her about them. Jones-Potter told the council that she neglected to make her usual pronouncement to Cauley that she was acting as a private citizen. The two had talked days earlier when Cauley said Jones-Potter asked if city trash crews were providing service for the event. His staff told him no, because services weren’t requested. “She advised me public works was supposed to be providing services,” Cauley said, adding he then told his employees to schedule the services.
........During his testimony, Matlusky said he was “stunned” at some of the justifications. When asked why nobody confronted Jones-Potter about possible inappropriate behavior, Matlusky said city employees are advised about ethical issues when they are hired. “It was very clear from the first day of this administration to Ms. Potter and to every single employee what is in bounds or what is out of bounds,” Matlusky said. “And secondly, if there were any questions, Ms. Potter is a very sophisticated public servant. She has worked in corporate America, she has been nominated state treasurer. If she had any question, her first act should have been self reflection and she should have gone to the city solicitor and asked him what can she do or not do and how can she participate or not participate.”
The Truth Will Out.
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