Deputy Mayor Donal Smith will today announce plans for Bermuda to host the annual conference for an organisation that is split over who is officially in charge.

The 40th annual conference for the National Conference of Black Mayors has been pencilled in for October 1-5 this year, even though officials claiming to represent the organisation may not have the legal authority to do so.

Mr Smith and Mayor Graeme Outerbridge met with Michael Blunt, mayor of the village of Chesilhurst in New Jersey, yesterday. Mr Blunt claims to be president of the NCBM, an Atlanta-based organisation representing around 650 US mayors. Accompanying him on the trip is Vanessa Williams, who claims to be the NCBM’s executive director and who is expected to arrive in Bermuda today.

The pair are due to stand alongside Mr Smith at a lunch time press conference where an official announcement will be made, and, according to a statement from the Corporation of Hamilton, they will also “clarify any uncertainties regarding the legitimacies of the conference, Bermuda’s selection as the host country, and the NCBM Executive Director, Vanessa Williams”.

It is understood that Ms Williams has agreed to bring hundreds of NCBM delegates to the Island for the conference. However, claims by the pair that they are authorised to act on behalf of the NCBM are currently the subject of a legal battle in the US courts.

Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson was elected NCBM president last May in an uncontested and uncontroversial ballot. The California official then called for an internal audit after it was discovered that hundreds of thousands of dollars of NCBM funds was unaccounted for. Ms Williams refused to cooperate with that audit and as a result, was fired from her post as executive director in September. She has since been accused of spending more than $600,000 of NCBM funds on personal expenses.

The NCBM board has since filed a writ against Ms Williams, calling for her to make the organisation’s financial records available. Ms Williams issued a counterclaim, insisting that Mayor Johnson’s election, and her subsequent firing, were unlawful. She has been supported by Mr Blunt, who claims that he replaced Mayor Johnson as NCBM president last December. That dispute is currently before US judge Christopher Brasher, who is expected to make a ruling within weeks.

Representatives for Mayor Johnson claim that neither Mr Blunt nor Ms Williams have any legitimate claim to represent the NCBM. They also state that the NCBM is unaware of any conference being organised for its members in Bermuda.

“Ms Williams and Mr Blunt have no legal basis in asserting that they represent the NCBM and nothing can be finally resolved in that regard until Judge Brasher’s ruling is given,” lawyer Valerie Allen said.

“Ms Williams demonstrates a pattern of acting beyond her authority and not in the best interest of NCBM, both while she was Executive Director and since her firing.”

Ms Allen added that it was “disappointing” that Mayor Outerbridge and other Corporation officials “will not show more patience, restraint and caution in their dealings with her”.

In the last month, The Royal Gazette has repeatedly asked Mr Blunt and Ms Williams to provide evidence that they still represent the organisation. No evidence has been provided.

Asked yesterday if he was satisfied that Mr Blunt and Ms Williams were legitimate members of the NCBM, Mr Outerbridge declined to comment, saying only that a press conference will be held later today. According to City officials, Mr Outerbridge will not be attending that press conference.

He has previously stated that City Hall would carry out “due diligence” to establish who was running the organisation.

But at a subsequent Budget meeting, the Corporation’s elected board voted to donate $100,000 of ratepayer funds to the NCBM to pay for the cost of organising the conference.

And last month it paid for Ms Williams to spend a week on the Island inspecting conference and hotel facilities.

Corporation Secretary Ed Benevides has said City Hall has not funded this week’s visit.