Riverdale's mayor accused of being hard to find

<p>Riverdale mayor Phaedra Graham stops by City Hall monthly to pick up her $1,200 paycheck.</p><p>But she hasn't been as reliable attending City Council meetings. City officials say it's difficult to get her to sign documents or at times, finding her.</p><p>Graham, who is serving her first term as the first black mayor of this predominantly black city, hasn't attended a council meeting _ or the work sessions before the twice-monthly council meetings _ since October.</p><p>"No comment," said Graham, when asked Thursday about her absences from the part-time job of which she earns $14,400 a year plus $200 for automobile expenses. Riverdale is located about 20 miles south of Atlanta.</p><p>City Manager Iris Jessie says city staffers can't always get the mayor on the phone. Graham sometimes comes to City Hall on nights and weekends and leaves voice messages on staffers' phones, Jessie and others said.</p><p>But city officials say Graham is not guilty of neglect of office because she has been communicating with staff and helping conduct some business within the past 90 days.</p><p>"It's not fair to the taxpayers," Councilwoman Wanda Wallace said. "She's here collecting her money when she's not doing the job she was elected to do."</p><p>Graham, a high school English teacher, coasted to victory in her 2003 election, defeating longtime Mayor Mary Lee by a 2-to-1 ratio.</p><p>As mayor, Graham is expected to run council meetings and cast votes in the event of a tie. Wallace has been running the meetings in Graham's absence. But there are some duties, such as signing city documents, that only Graham can do.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x2866564)</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2005/1/154441