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Montgomery named co-chairman of King Commission Thursday, Feb 28, 2008 Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - Legislative leaders Wednesday appointed a Batesville man co-chairman of the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission. Andy Montgomery replaces Odies Wilson of Little Rock, who was ousted from the seat by commissioners during a telephone conference call this week. Wilson remains on the commission. Montgomery, 36, a bank loan officer, has been a member of the commission since August and serves on its finance committee. Under state statute, the House speaker and Senate president pro tem jointly appoint a co-chairman of the commission, and the governor appoints the other. The commission voted Monday to no longer recognize Wilson as co-chairman after some members suggested he was obstructing the commission's work. Infighting has gripped the state panel charged with promoting the principles of the slain civil rights leader since state Sen. Tracy Steele, D-North Little Rock, resigned as executive director in November 2006. The conflict has centered on choosing a permanent successor and questions about whether some members were serving on the panel legitimately. This month, the commission voted 12-5 to name DuShun Scarbrough executive director. Wilson has requested an attorney general's on whether the vote was sufficient. He contends 14 votes were needed because there are 26 commissioners. A lawsuit pending in Pulaski County Circuit Court challenges the legitimacy of some appointees, including Wilson. Also during Monday's meeting, the commission voted to let Scarbrough begin work immediately, but the state's personnel administrator said she will not process Scarbrough's payroll information until the attorney general makes a ruling on Wilson's request. |
