MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After months of battling an ethics complaint and what the City of Memphis Board of Ethics called a “conflict of interest”, Memphis City Councilwoman Dr. Michalyn Easter-Thomas has stepped down from her position with the Memphis River Parks Partnership.
The ethics complaint process wrapped up Wednesday during Dr. Easter-Thomas’ ethics hearing when the attorney representing the board said the councilwoman had submitted her resignation from the MRPP.
County Commissioner Charlie Caswell was there to show his support for the now-former Councilwoman.
“She took lesser pay and continued to work part-time with the City Council to serve her constituents,” Caswell said. “I hope that the City Council would just dismiss this thing and be able to move on and move forward as she has.”
Issues surrounding Dr. Easter-Thomas surfaced back in February when a complaint was filed against her alleging her employment with MRPP and her role as a city council member were a conflict of interest in violation of the city charter.
“Let’s say for the record a conflict of interest is not illegal. It’s illegal when it’s not properly disclosed,” Former City Council Chairman Martavius Jones said.
Jones served as chairman when several council agenda items linked to MRPP came up such as whether to reallocate $3 million for Mud Island Park and the reappointment vote of Memphis Parks Director Nick Walter.
But were there any red flags and did the councilwoman do enough to avoid a conflict of interest?
“When I served with her in any type of contract or any type of vote that affected or that was involving MRPP, she made a point to recuse,” Jones said.
Still, questions are being asked about what comes next for Dr. Easter-Thomas with the Board of Ethics and the Memphis City Council.
WREG has learned that the attorney representing the board is not only recommending it accept Dr. Easter-Thomas’ resignation but that the board should recommend to the city council that she be censured too.
It’s a decision that’ll be made by the council as the spotlight is placed on the elected leaders and the issue of conflicts of interest.
WREG reached out to Councilwoman Easter-Thomas’ attorney for comment on Thursday but has yet to hear back.
