Planned Vote To Remove Council President Absent From Agenda

Just three days before the Indianapolis City-County Council planned to vote on removing its president, the vote is absent from the meeting’s agenda.

After a number of controversies surrounding President Stephen Clay, Democrats decided to vote at the council’s next meeting – this Monday – to remove him as president. But Friday afternoon the meeting’s agenda was released, and the item isn’t on it.

Council staff could not explain its absence, but say Clay gave them the agenda.

Zach Adamson, council vice president and vocal opponent to Clay, says he’s confident the vote will still happen on Monday.

“This entire charade, this entire sham of a process that he has put this council through has made a mockery of our legislative body, and is unprecedented,” Adamson says.

WFYI asked Clay for comment but has not yet received an answer.

Earlier on Friday Clay also appeared in court, for an ongoing lawsuit against him. Last week, a group of Indianapolis City-County Councillors sued Clay over allegations that he illegally fired staff members.

In a hearing, lawyers representing Democrats tried to get a restraining order on Clay’s action, which would allow the staff to continue working as the issue is resolved. But as part of a settlement reached by both sides, that request was temporarily dropped.

Clay’s attorney Linda Pence says she was thrilled with the decision.

She also questioned the legality of the council’s scheduled vote to remove Clay from his position.

“I don’t agree that you can remove a president by a procedural motion. And this strategy that was created is… I don’t think it’s legal,” Pence says.

The settlement also states that a neutral figure will be put in Clay’s place to run the council’s Monday meeting, when Democrats plan the vote to remove him.