Turning now to other political news - tonight the City Council remains divided and unclear on just who is in charge.
On Monday the Mayor went to Barbados on an official trip and told his councillors he would run things remotely in tandem with the City Administrator.
But, Deputy Mayor Micah Goodin - who was involved in a weekend shoot-out - maintained that by law he should take over. We are told that he tried to convene a caucus today to assert this and ventilate the matter of his weekend detention - but some councillors did not attend.
One councillor who does support him as acting mayor is Michael Novelo and he told us today that it's a matter of law:
Jules Vasquez
"What's your feeling on it?"
Michael Novelo, Councillor Responsible for Cemeteries
"The law is clear. The law does not say if you want to, if you feel like. The law is clear. Whenever the mayor is sick, on leave, leave the country the mayor assumes all powers and responsibility as mayor. If anybody knows me, they know my wife is a magistrate. I stick to the law, so that is what I am going to stick with, the law. So, if you ask me today, tomorrow, maybe next week - if the mayor leaves, the deputy mayor is the mayor and is the person leading the council. That is what I stand for."
Jules Vasquez
"But the deputy mayor is not leading the council right now."
Michael Novelo, Councillor Responsible for Cemeteries
"I don't see why not. If the law says he's the one leading the council, then he is the person leading the council. It doesn't matter what you think or what I think or what people at the upstairs of the council might believe, but the law says clear and if we are a council that follows the laws of this land, then that is the person who is leading the council."
Jules Vasquez
"But it does matter what the mayor says and, in an email, he said very plainly, no, I will retain control of the council even while I am in Barbados, in concert with the city admin."
Michael Novelo, Councillor Responsible for Cemeteries
"I just said it, Jules, it doesn't matter what I think, it doesn't even matter what the mayor thinks. It's what the law says and the law says clearly that whenever the mayor is sick, on leave, leave the country the deputy mayor who is duly elected amongst his peers has the power and everything vested as the mayor. Anybody that don't follow that, then I can't speak for them, they have to speak for themselves. They are going against the law."
