Council President George Evans faced issues concerning his powers at Monday’s meeting, when Councilwoman Bennie Ruth Crenshaw questioned one of his appointments to the city’s seven committees.

“I think we as council people need to take an active role in the selection of the committees and the committee chairpersons,” Crenshaw said, after Evans announced his selections.

Evans, as Council President, has the authority to appoint council members to the committees advising the council and mayor on key city responsibilities, though they have no actual powers.

Crenshaw said questioned the Public Safety Committee appointment of chairman Reid Cain.

Crenshaw, who chaired the committee last term, was named to the committee again along with council member Janie Venter.

Crenshaw seemed to suggest that Venter should have been chair.

“I think it was Ms. Venter that expressed an interest in the Public Safety Committee. I think as a council, at some later date, we need to take a look at whether she still has a vested interest. I see where you have changed that (chair) person. Both parties are new to the council,” she said. “Neither person brings any experience to it.”

The council, Evans said, gave the president the appointment powers to the committees before he was elected to the position. He added that he was merely doing what he thought was best, after taking advice from the other council members.

“We had this debate over this weekend,” Evans responded. “I think I’ve been fair on this.”

The weekend before the meeting, the Council took a retreat, where they trained for the upcoming term of office and discussed business.

“After getting that input,” Evans said, “I chose to make some changes.”

At the end of the meeting, the committee positions were more or less unchanged. An error in the list was corrected before the end. Venter’s name was removed from the Recreation Committee list. Evans said Councilman Cecil Williams was on the committee instead.

Evans seemed prepared if the council decided to try and remove the powers or make changes in his appointments.

“If the council chooses to change (the appointments) we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” he said.

The appointments to the different committees were:

Geraldine Allen was appointed chairperson of the Administrative Committee. Serving with her will be Jean Martin and Cecil Williamson.

Samuel Randolph was appointed chairperson of the Recreation Committee. Williamson and Leashore will serve with him.

Cain was appointed chairman of the Public Safety Committee. Venter and Crenshaw will serve with him.

Jean Martin was appointed as chairperson to the Community Development Committee. Allen and Cain were both appointed as well.

The Public works and General Services Committee will be headed by Leashore. Venter and Randolph will also be on the committee.

The Discretionary Committee will be headed by

Crenshaw.

A newly created committee, the Finance Committee, will be headed by Crenshaw as well. Cain and George Evans will be serving as well. The committee must be approved by the City Council at a later date.