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A pointed exchange took place during the Monday, Feb. 10, Franklin City Council meeting between Ward 3 Councilman Gregory McLemore and Ward 6 Councilwoman Jessica G. Banks regarding critical comments made by McLemore about some of his fellow council members.

The exchange began when McLemore took issue with the minutes of the council’s Jan. 27 meeting, which were up for approval by the council on Feb. 10.

Part of the minutes record the council’s emergence from closed session, and they read as follows:

“Councilwoman Banks stated that while in closed session, there was a departure from the

requirements under which the City Council entered the meeting. Councilwoman Banks

noted that a fellow council member [Mr. McLemore] belittled members of the council.

She shared that they were told they were degenerates, ignorant and many other things

by the council member, and he was asked to leave the closed session.

“City Council certified the meeting after noting the departure.”

At the Feb. 10 meeting, McLemore said, “I would like it entered into the record that I request that the additional comments made by the councillady be removed from the minutes unless the context and circumstances can also be included reflecting a more accurate account of exactly what was said and occurred.”

He said more happened than just what was recorded in the minutes, “so we can either let it go, or we can go into it deep.”

He said the relevant excerpt from the minutes “only gives Ms. Banks’ side of what happened, and I don’t think the minutes should only reflect one person’s side of what happened.”

Banks said, “I would like to address this situation briefly without going into discretion from closed session. … When we come out of closed session, it’s in the state code — it says if we, as council, feel that there was something done in closed session that was not pertaining to the agenda, then we have a right to make that public. Being called a degenerate and ignorant and bringing up personal defamation of character is not a part of the agenda, so therefore I made it publicly known that that was said.”

McLemore said, “And I’m saying that that may sound very eloquent, however —

Banks interjected that it was accurate.

“No,” McLemore said, “accuracy is that I said that in my opinion that the last council was the most corrupt and unprofessional council I served on in 14 years, and this, in my opinion, was the most ignorant, degenerate council that I’ve served on.”

“OK,” Franklin Mayor Paul Kaplan said. “I think you’ve got the point, you’ve said it.”

McLemore indicated that his point was that the exchange was not necessary, as all the council had to do was remove Banks’ comments from the minutes, which he was calling for.

“Do I have a second for his motion?” Kaplan said, waiting to hear one. “Hearing no second, we move on.”

“Well, it’s in the record,” McLemore said. “It’s in tonight’s record.”

A moment later he requested to make an additional comment, which Kaplan granted.

Referencing Ward 2 Councilman Richard Grizzard, McLemore said, “I’d just like to say that in that last exchange, you were not included in that, Mr. Grizzard.”