In a contentious meeting on Tuesday, the Monroe City Council voted down Mayor Friday Ellis’s appointment of Rev. Ike Byrd as the new Director of Community Affairs for the City.
The decision came after a 3-2 vote, with the council split along geographical lines.
Southside council members, including Juanita Woods, Rodney McFarland, and Verbon Muhammad, voted against the appointment, while Northside council members Doug Harvey and Gretchen Ezernak voted in favor.
Councilman Rodney McFarland expressed frustration with the mayor’s approach, stating that Ellis had announced Rev. Byrd’s appointment on social media and television without prior consultation with the council. This, according to McFarland, gave the impression that…
