Argument about rules of order leads to walkout by members

At issue was a motion to recess the council meeting.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- There was a bizarre scene as Wednesday's council meeting concluded: a walkout.
It happened after President James E. Fortune Sr. and Richard Atkinson, R-3rd, argued for a couple minutes over a motion to recess.
Fortune first wanted to talk about a memo he distributed concerning the McGuffey Plaza and a resolution council passed a few weeks ago.
The resolution expressed council's intent to cooperate with Mahoning County commissioners to help bring county workers from other offices to the Phar-Mor Center or other downtown locations.
Concerned about blight
Fortune said he talked with Anthony Cafaro of the Cafaro Co., which leases space to the county in McGuffey Plaza. Cafaro is proposing $1.5 million in renovations to the plaza, Fortune said. Council shouldn't encourage any blight that might result if the county leaves the plaza, he said.
The city's resolution is premature, he added, and he suggested council rescind it until more information is gathered.
But the motion to recess the meeting had been made and seconded. Nonetheless, Fortune maintained he would speak before allowing the vote.
Fortune pounded his gavel and told Atkinson to be quiet several times. Meanwhile, Atkinson called Fortune out of order and challenged his decision.
Law Director John McNally IV said the vote to recess should be taken, but Fortune protested and tried to carry on.
By then, the other members had had enough.
Artis Gillam Sr., D-1st, got up and left, followed a moment later by Rufus Hudson, D-2nd, Clarence Boles, D-6th, and Mark S. Memmer, D-7th.
Carol Rimedio-Righetti, D-4th, and Michael Rapovy, D-5th, got up a moment later, too. And finally, Atkinson left.
"We are in recess," Atkinson muttered.
Members returned
The council members returned a few moments later, however, to take the vote to recess and then left city hall almost immediately.
Atkinson said afterward that Fortune doesn't understand his role.
Fortune called the episode a power struggle, but said he wasn't sure why Atkinson was challenging him. Fortune insisted that it's his prerogative to run the meeting how he sees fit. "Nobody should be challenging the chair," he said. "You respect the chair."
rgsmith@vindy.com