AKRON, Ohio -- One day into the administration of Akron Mayor Garry Moneypenny, Akron City Council devolved into a shouting match after some on council raised questions about the fairness of new leadership.

Council voted 7-5 to select Democratic Chairman Jeff Fusco to replace Moneypenny as president, over Russ Neal. The vote left some on council complaining about conflict of interest.

"His job is to get Democrats elected, you can't tell me that's not a conflict of interest," Ward 5 Councilwoman Tara Mosley-Samples said.

Fusco -- who got the job because 28-year Mayor Don Plusquellic abruptly resigned and former City Council President Moneypenny took his place -- told reporters that he had paid for a legal opinion that said he can legally hold both positions.

Catherine Turcer, at government watchdog Common Cause Ohio, said that doesn't mean the situation isn't a conflict of interest.

"There are lots of things that are legal that aren't necessarily ethical," Turcer said Tuesday. "Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should."

By end of the day the disagreements boiled over, as Neal and City Planning Director Marco Sommerville broke into a shouting match. Councilwoman Linda Omobien separated the two men, yelling "Police! Where are the police."

Police ran into the council chambers as the two men were separated, but the shouting resumed a few minutes later in the Akron Municipal Building lobby.

Troubles with replacement committee

One issue fanning flames was Fusco's first decision as council president, appointing a committee to pick a replacement for Moneypenny's Ward 10 council seat. Four of the five committee members voted for Fusco. But both Neal and Mike Williams -- who voted for Neal -- declined to serve on the committee.

Neal said he chose not to be on the committee because during the last selection committee he participated in it appeared to him that the candidate, Margo Sommerville, had already been picked by city elites to replace her father, Marco Sommerville, when he became the city's planning director.

"It was presented as a fair evaluation," Neal said. "To try to make something look like it's a fair process when its not, people are sick of that."

Omobien stood up at the end of Monday's meeting to request the committee be expanded.

"I would like for you to consider two additional members, if you would please," Omobien said. "That would give us an opportunity to give the appearance that there is more openness and fairness in the process."

Shouting match

Neal said Sommerville -- a former funeral director and City Council president who became planning director in 2012 -- taunted him by saying that he needed seven votes on council to get anything done.

"That was just his way of reminding me that City Hall still controls City Council," Neal said.

The argument moved to the topic of Neal's record as city councilman, and Neal said he retorted by asking Sommerville what he had done for the city as planning director.

"He tried to make a statement, he attacked what you're doing as a council," Neal said. "I said you're the planning director, tell me what you're doing for your community."

Neal said that the exchange was an example of "business as usual" at City Hall. Neal was involved in a shoving match with Mayor Don Plusquellic during a December, 2013 council meeting.

"We hope that Mayor Moneypenny changes the culture, but we control what happens in council and when we don't acknowledge war is going on, things boil over, like what you saw happen tonight," Neal said.

Sommerville did not respond to a request for comment.