Orange
Transcript
Council resolution produces argument
By Patrick
Justin Fahey
Staff Writer
Tempers flared during Tuesday’s Orange City
Council meeting when Business Administrator Jewel Thompson-Chin took umbrage to
remarks suggesting she had been involved in some questionable dealings.
The trouble started when Gloria Stewart, an
Orange Board of Education employee, asked questions about a resolution which
council members were considering.
The resolution would allow the city to enter
into a “cooperative pricing system agreement between
The agreement would allow the city to take
advantage of economies of scale by partnering with
Director of Public Works Robert Corrado had answered questions posed earlier by West Ward
Councilman Hassan Abdul-Rasheed.
Specifically, Abdul-Rasheed asked about a specific
example of savings, which could occur by a result of the agreement. Corrado indicated that Toro brand lawn-mower purchases
would cost less if bought by the partnership as opposed to by the city alone.
Stewart pointed out that the resolution was for
an agreement with
“Don’t you
ever come back to the microphone and accuse me...” Thompson-Chin then was
interrupted by Councilman-at-Large Donald Page, who said Thompson-Chin’s
comments were out of order. Page also serves as the council’s vice president.
“1 don’t understand why you defend Miss Stewart’s right to make
accusations of wrongdoing, but not my right to defend myself. I will never
allow her to come up here and cast aspersions on my character,” said
Thompson-Chin.
“Tell her not
to threaten me,” shouted Stewart to Council President Tency Eason.
Following the meeting, Stewart said she never
accused Thompson- Chin of a crime but called the resolution “suspect,” because
of the business administrator’s residence.
“1 truly was threatened tonight,” said Stewart,
summing up the exchange.
Following the council meeting, Page
characterized Thompson-Chin’s remarks as “our of
order, derogatory, and threatening.”
Page promised to offer a resolution asking for
Thompson-Chin’s termination during the next Council meeting. It is scheduled
for April 17 at