The Madison County Ethics Committee had its say, and a complaint filed by Cathy Vinson against Morris Merriweather heads for the Madison County Commission, May 20.

The complaint was in reference to an email communication between Vinson and members of the Jackson-Madison County School Board – specifically Morris Merriweather.

Vinson was in attendance during the hearing at the Madison County Finance Department, Tuesday, when members of the Ethics Committee voted 5-0 to send the complaint to the County Commission.

Additional complaints were filed by Tim Carpenter, Melissa Pratt, Lizzy Belew and Mary Beth Bernheisel.

“I appreciate the decision they made, but I especially appreciate the decision they made to read my email,” Vinson said, “They took this very seriously, they did their job, they did their investigation, and I appreciate the fact the vote did turn out.”

Vinson, who taught 30 years in the Jackson-Madison County School System, sent emails to each member of the Jackson-Madison County School Board in support of superintendent Dr. Eric Jones.

Vinson said she had received a second email from Merriweather that was “to try and intimidate, harass, and borderline threaten my family.”

Merriweather issued a statement of clarity, saying he was “trying to make a strong point about her viewpoint but not threaten.”

Merriweather had sent Vinson an email detailing why he believed she was in support of Dr. Jones, who resigned last Friday.

“It is hard for me to believe that you are not extremely bias (sic) since your daughter Amanda works at Pope and your son in law Ryan Kirkbride works in the central office,” Merriweather wrote, “If they will resign, which I am thinking I will call for at the next board meeting, I will be the first to listen to your advice.”

In the statement of clarity, Merriweather said following a conversation he and Dr. Jones had, he “immediately called Mr. Kirkbride and apologized to him and asked him to convey my apologies to all his family members including his mother in law Cathy Vinson.”

Merriweather was not in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting.

“It was discussed at length in the committee,” said Mike Steele, who chaired the Ethics Committee, “After a long meeting, it was determined unanimously there was a violation of the Madison County code of ethics, and the report will be submitted to the Madison County Commission.”

(PHOTO: Members of the Madison County Ethics Committee met Tuesday)
David Thomas, Twitter – @DavidThomasWNWS
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