WARREN (WWJ) - A high ranking official in Warren is calling some members of the City Council racists.
Ethan Vincent believes he is Warren City Attorney. But at a City Council meeting on December 10, Secretary Mindy Moore said that because Vincent was not reappointed by the mayor when the new council took office after the November elections, he is no longer the city attorney.
When Vincent tried to explain himself, he said he was prevented from speaking by Council President Patrick Green.
"My first inclination was, 'Well, maybe there's some racism involved,' I don't know, since I'm African American and everyone else is white," Vincent told WWJ's Charlie Langton. "They never articulated anything like that, but it's just difficult for me to understand what was happening."
Green said the situation has nothing to do with race.
"It's the farthest thing from the truth," he said. "We have a situation with our relationship between the City Council, a separate legislative body and a separate elected body in the city of Warren, and the mayor's office. This is coming to a head."
Green said the council has repeatedly asked Mayor Jim Fouts to send over an appointment so they can consider Vincent's position as City Attorney, but the mayor has apparently refused.
"Right now, the City Council does not have an attorney client relationship with our City Attorney, and that's a problem. We're relying on someone who does not have an employment relationship with the City Council," he said. "All we simply asked is, 'Mr. Mayor, send over the appointment' and he refuses to. We've asked since the day after election day."
"This is an argument between the City Council and the Mayor's office, not the City Attorney," Green added.
Vincent is hoping to clarify his position when the council meets again Tuesday night.
"There's nothing in the charter that says if the mayor if reelected, his appointees have to be reconfirmed or reappointed. So, she was simply off base," he said.
Fouts has not yet commented on the situation.
