" I am amazed at the responses that you so called citizens of McComb have placed on this blog site! No, I did not vote for Mayor Patterson, nor do I agree with everything that goes in city hall. But, the Camillia City Festival was a wonderful family event, organized by a very talented, intelligent woman. Pastor Tasha Dillion (and I write this in Caps because I do respect her!), worked very hard organizing and planning an event that would be a blessing to all families in the city of McComb. If people chose to stay away, then that was there lose. The only thing that I saw that needs fine tuning before next year, is multicultural inclussion. The city needs to find a way to build the racial gap and be able to come together for things put on by everyone. Mayor Patterson, my prayers are with you and your administration. You will face many trials because you are a black man. Remember though the basics that you were taught in kindergarten, apply them, and things should go well: Share, Ask before taking, walk and don't run, keep your hands to yourself, think before talking, remember to use PLEASE and THANK YOU, and say I'm sorry when you have hurt someone's feelings! Apply these in and around city hall and things will be sure to turn around for you! I know, I work with little ones everyday! "

" The mayor and miss dillon have successfully made a mockery of this city once again. I type their names in lower case as a show of lack of respect I have fro these two individuals. I think Bo Diddley is a wonderful part of the history of this community. I am glad he was honored with the blues marker, however, that could have been done without the creation of a festival. A ceremony would have been wonderful and proper for such an recognition. I hope someone will contact the State Auditors office in reference to this tree cutting ordeal. It is fine time that someone puts a stop to a man who discards the law so long as it looks good on TV. If he is looking for fame out of his leadership he will go down in history as the man who destroyed a small community for his own personal gain. Hey zack I voted for you and if I see on the street I will not refer to you as mayor as I don't believe you have earned the respect of the title. I hope to God above that the people will take a stand and do what it takes to stop the destruction that is being done to this city by you zack and I hope that with the right legal advice and investigations (you know what those are, you have done them to every one who left their jobs that you muscled out) you will not complete this term. "

" ...you are the idiot if you think we are going to sit back and watch the Camellia City end up more devasted than when the winds of Hurricanes Camille or Katrina hit. The handwriting is on the wall with this mayor. And, you are an idiot if you cannot read it. Publicity on this event was done quit well. The EJ even did its part on this one. The people made a decision to stay away. You can't see that? The EJ blog does not light up until the reporters do what they are suppose to do---report to the public what is being done behind closed doors. Even the councilmen are left out of those meetings. And, councilmen are put back into their place if they speak out against Patterson. We'd be idiots NOT to complain about what's going on. You need to stay off this blog if all you can do is call us idiots. "

" My house needs painting. Do you suppose the mayor could hire some painters to come by and paint my place for me. If the painters were outside contractors and no city employees were used in the painting process I am sure there would be nothing illegal about that. You could say that you were honoring me, a veteran and a tax payer. "

" ...still again just as Miss Mississippi got lost in the controversy so did he. I don't want anyone praying for me who seems to think I'm against spending a dime on Bo Diddley. He and his family deserved every penny spent on them. That was long over due. He and his family also deserved to see fans greeting him in the manner such as the Iron Horse Festival crowds, literally thousands of folks, my dear. Zach and his brainwashed groupies don't want to admit that their actions have ALL people staying away from what ever he is doing even if it means missing a free blues or gospel concert. Where were the crowds when Holy Nation performed? Whom ever we decide to honor next year will probably not receive the type of welcome we gave Bo because the city will be broke and flat busted thanks to a few people who make decisions using public funds. Ain't nobody griping about the hospitality shown to Mr. Diddley. We are griping about the other events that went on that had nothing to do with him. All of that was unnecessary. Which hotels were filled to capacity that weekend as a result of the publicity done on the festival? How can we say that we successfully replaced half of the money back into the tourism budget? In spite of it all, the legendary Bo Diddley will be tops no matter what we do or do not do here in McComb. And, if you don't know that you don't know Diddley. "

" I totally agree with "It's about time..." You people are so busy wanting to make every issue about the mayor and waiting to take pot shots at him, that you can't even see the real picture! The point of this event was to honor a man from McComb that has been honored by the most presitgious honors in his business! And instead of his hometown recognizing this, you don't even acknowledge it. All you care about is taking stupid shots at the mayor! You all really need to find something else to do with your time! This is so hilarious! You people are IDOTS! "

" To Bo Didley's fan, This is not about Bo. It's about a dictator who was voted in office to watch over and care for McComb people. He has not done this. He tries to replace anyone who wants to follow correct protocol. He wants a harem of women around him. He tries to take people's pensions away from them. He's in effect stealing money by doing work for private property. And who ever heard of a $1600 cab ride in McComb? I'm sure Bo Didley has enough money to cut a tree if he wanted it removed. I'm sure he could get some pulp wood hauler to cut it down for a case of beer and an autographed picture. Evers, Melton, and Zack are just alike, I'm gonna do it my way, and I won't worry about the Law. "

" Well, I will keep it short this time. Any body that stayed home and DID NOT get out and go and vote against Patterson for mayor has absolutely NO ROOM to complain about anything this WILD MAN does. He is well on the way to destroying McComb both financially, staff wise, racially, and morally. We got him for the rest of his term and I just pray to the Good Lord there is enough of McComb to be saved by the next mayor who hopefully and prayerfully WILL NOT be Patterson! "

" No one is saying that Mr. Diddley should not be honored..he should and he was.... But now cutting a tree on PRIVATE property with CITY money is AGAINST the law. All it would take is one call to the State Audit Department.There are alot of City residents that need trees trimmed.. are we going to trim theirs too? My next question is if there was $36,000 budgeted to spend for tourism promotion and economic development and they spent $29,000 for this ONE event.. that only leaves $7,000 for Iron Horse Festival and other economic development projects.. not much to work with... "

" For goodness sakes, Mr. Mayor, it doesn't matter who trimmed the tree; the city ordered and paid for it. Ergo satsuma, you're guilty of trimming trees on private property. In addition to the $29,021 cost, you should probably add the city workers overtime. Between the Iron Horse Festival and the Camellia Festival, I imagine the city has forked out over $100.000 and that is not responsible leadership. We are drowning in a wastewater treatment project and you throw us a lifeline of festivals. "

" I agree that he should be honored. He is a great musician and a great legend. The way that it was went about though, was just plain WRONG. "

" Oh... Well if Zach says it's okay, then it's okay - right? Get real - the people of McComb needs to WAKE UP! The Zach Patterson - Tasha Dillon festival sure was expensive. "

" It is amazing that there would be dessention for honoring a gentleman who is a world legend....And from citizens of his home town. wow - Bo Diddley has received every honor that a legend such as he can get, yet his hometown has waited this long to honor him and the citizens gripe about honoring him. Unreal! AND because there will never be another Bo Diddley, who is there to honor next year? What happened to hospitality? Isn't that what the state of MS represents? It's amazing that some of you are being eaten alive with hatred - I pray for you. "

" The Mayor is out of control. State law says that you can’t go onto people’s property and cut any thing or do any thing just because it doesn’t look good. That money spent on cutting that tree should be paid back to the city by the Mayor and Ms Dillon, since she is always doing what he says, so he can look good. This guy(Mayor) isn’t ready to head a city or be an elected official anywhere. This is not the military Mayor. You can’t give the selectman information on a need to know base and think that they should just vote on something because of what you say. You have shown us that you really can’t be trusted to do what’s in the best interest of the city or state. Mayor you’ve said that if Myers wins his lawsuit against the city that you was going to run agnist him. Well I voted for you but you want get another one from my big family or me. Myers is a lot better at being an elected official than you will ever be; at least he’s proven that he can be trusted to look out for the state and the city. "

" Mr. Lamb should know by now that MISTER. PATTERSON will not be questioned by ANYONE, especially a lowly board member. He needs to start acting like Maddock and just sit there and say "yes sir, Mister Patterson" The festival was a total joke. MISTER PATTERSON had said that Iron Horse wasn’t “black enough”…No one came to HIS festival but MISTER PATTERSON, I believe, should be happy because it WAS “black enough”.. I think an audit by an outside firm should look into it, I have a feeling there are some misappropriation of money here. His cutie, Ms Dillon, should be fired over this. "

" If the accounts are true? Then the taxpayers paid $26,700 for Zack to have BoDidley play and sing!! Sounds like when Charles Evers took control of Fayette, there's only one law here, mine! OK McComb, you hired him so now you get to bow down for him. "

" Not only was it an expensive party, but it seems as if it was an exclusive party if you look at the pictures on the mayor's website. Where are the pictures of the three lovely, young girls from Kennedy Elementary who painted faces FREE of charge? If I am not badly mistaken, this act of service to the community should have at least warranted them a picture on the Royal One's website. "

" Why didn't this report have records of the numbers of people who attended the festival? Will the city host another festival next year? Did anyone complain about the noise around a hospital and nursing home? There are thousands of other unsightly parts of McComb, will the city pay to upgrade them based on whether or not they will be seen on TV in Jackson? And, the city made enough money to pay the water bill of at least one or two senior citizens. We certainly came no where near the break-even point on this one. We've spent $29K for a festival that no one attended because they are repulsed by the past actions of the mayor who has declared himself royalty. Even the living legend Bo Diddley could not camouflage the stench of our military leader who has no future here. And, hasn't the selectman at large, Wade Lamb, learned that the mayor does not want to be questioned? "