Thursday, June 7, 2018

Wanted: Howard Cosell

It would not be a Pelahatchie Board of Aldermen meeting if some sparks didn't fly,  at least since 2017, and Monday night was no exception.  The combatants: Mayor Ryshonda Beechem and Board of  Aldermen President Margie Warren.  The subject: A $400 bill for new locks installed at City Hall.  Get some popcorn and watch the 15 minutes of fame, oops, I meant fun, that starts at 8:30 in the video posted below.




Mayor Ryshonda Beechem recently changed the locks of Town Hall and submitted the $400 bill for doing so on the claims docket to be approved Monday night. She said past employees still had keys and she wasn't sure who had a key.  She said she required each person who received a new key to sign an acknowledgement form. 

Alderwoman Margie Warren upbraided the Mayor for changing the locks.  She said that the Board had specifically rejected her request to change the locks. "You did it so therefor I ask the Board not to pay that bill.  That is your bilil.  This town is not going to pay for something they told you not to do," said Ms. Warren. She repeatedly said there had not been a problem for "thirty years." 

Mayor Beechem replied that the Board  gave her the authority to spend up to $600 without Board approval at a January 2018 meeting.  The bill for changing the locks was $400.  The other aldermen remained silent as the two traded licks in front of a packed Board room.   The Board approved the claims docket but the Alderwoman promised to "bring it up again." She said "You will not work with anybody" to the Mayor.  Black members of the audience yelled several times at Ms. Warren to be quiet and that she had been there too long.

The entire meeting was brief and lasted less than an hour.  The Board packet is posted below.  It contains the minutes from the previous board meeting, claims docket, various invoices, court collections report, and other mundane matters.  The town hired Thomas Lyle as City Clerk and Rachel Knight as Deputy City Clerk. 








23 comments:

Anonymous said...

She said past employees still had keys and she wasn't sure who had a key. She said she required each person who received a new key to sign an acknowledgement form.

This is completely reasonable and responsible.

Anonymous said...

Well... the Board told her not to change the locks... but the Board also gave her the loop hole of spending up $600 without approval. Did the Mayor violate what the Board told her not to do... Yes! BUT only one member of the Board raised hell about it... Sorry Alderwoman... your fellow board members didn't have your back on this one. Time to shut up... if you don't like her... run against her in the next election.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like somebody wants to get in that room. Flashbacks of McDaniels posse getting lost in the courthouse.

Kingfish said...

General resolution or motion v. a specific one. Which Trumps the other? Question for the lawyers? Usually the specific one Trumps in statutory construction. What is the rule here? Of course, the board did approve the claims docket so would their approval Trump the specific motion that was passed?

Anonymous said...

I don't see how they can defend not changing the locks when they don't know who has a key. This board is making this mayor look good.

Anonymous said...

This has been SOP in Rankin politics forever. Shenanigans. Now you see why the state is in such bad shape. Rankin Shenanigans squared.

Anonymous said...

Pretend you have never heard of any of these people or the town of Pelahatchie. I think, then, you will agree that it's a sound policy to change locks on a public office building when nobody who has keys.

What if you were renting a storage building that had locks provided and the proprietor told you many of the past renters of the unit had never turned in their keys and he just keeps on issuing keys and he has a box full of them. Would you be OK with being issued a key to the existing lock or would you demand another lock, perhaps one of your own choosing.

I swear.....'You People'!

'You People', huh. Well, that right there sounds racialist.

Anonymous said...


Hold up on that car wash @ 12:35...

Rankin politics are no different than the other 81 counties and most cities.

It's politics period, not solely specific to Rankin County.

Obviously, you haven't seen Hinds, Holmes, Claiborne and many others in action.

Anonymous said...

Seems to me Robert's Rule of Order would probably answer Kingfish's question . . . but it's a thick book and I don't really care enough to look it up.

Anonymous said...

Interesting that the mayor is asking for respect while not respecting the wishes (vote) of the board. Both sides need to put on their big boy britches & do what is best for their hometown.

Anonymous said...

Changing the locks was prudent by the Mayor when no one really knows who all has keys. Quite frankly the remaining board members silence could be construed as agreeing with the Mayor.

Question: Would anyone on this forum not change the locks to their house IF they were uncertain who all had keys to their house?

Anonymous said...

$400 for lock changing is a pretty good deal. I don't understand the problem with changing the locks other than objecting for the sake of objection.

Anonymous said...

Alderman Warren keeps referring to how things have been done in Pelahatchie for the past 30 years. Isn’t she currently knee deep in doo doo because of the common practices of the current and past administration? Maybe that isn’t the best justification for not changing the locks. Just saying.... I applaud the mayors patience. It appears she is trying to do the right thing for the city.

Anonymous said...

The alderwoman has been in office for 30 years and probably involved in city politics longer than that. Obviously this mayor represents a huge change in the balance of power in that small town. The good ole boys and good ole girls will not accept this easily. On the other hand, the mayor has got to be at least cautious if not paranoid about traps that could be lying in her path. Missing keys to offices and official property have got to raise a red flag if she is even slightly intelligent. The other aldermen and this alderwoman know that, but being still part of the good ole boy network they don't want to appear toooo cooperative with this upstart mayor. It's gonna take time...give 'em a chance.

Anonymous said...

At this point, I'm waiting to see the mayor suggest that children refrain from playing with matches just to watch Margie Warren argue in favor of allowing children to set themselves on fire.

Anonymous said...

These board members are literally incensed that they have to answer to a black woman.

You could not count the number of “n” bombs that occur before and after these meetings!

Anonymous said...

You should never go into a public forum where there are unresolved issues to discuss. Its best to try and resolve disagreements prior to bringing the dispute to the eye of the public. This shows respect for all parties. It also shows a better sense of civility, which evidently did not occur at this meeting. If disputes arise in a public forum, kick the can down the road or go into executive session and hash it out.

Anonymous said...

Go into executive session to discuss changing the locks? Get real.

Anonymous said...

This seems like a reasonable and prudent action by the Mayor. Does the woman opposing this not value security?

Anonymous said...

That's right 5:07. The other aldermen know the mayor is right, but they just can't bring themselves to take the side of that black woman against a white woman no matter what. But it is a sign of progress since they just shut up.

Anonymous said...

12:06 Transparency is a requirement of good government. It is against the law to
go into executive session to discuss public issues except for very limited topics such as
personnel issues.

Anonymous said...

Going to have to side with the mayor on this one. The board should have an issues with not knowing how many keys are out there and whom has one.

Anonymous said...

Knox Ross played Vicory for a total fool.



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