The four candidates running to become McComb’s newest Ward 4 selectman said crime and a need for more community involvement are among the key issues in the race.
Gerald “Baldy” Barnes, John L. Bates, Angela Ashley McKnight and Eddie L. Thompson Sr. are running in the Democratic primary on May 3. A runoff will be May 17, if necessary. Since there are no other candidates, the primary winner will take office in July.
Shawn Williams is the current Ward 4 selectman and is running for mayor in the Democratic Primary.
Barnes said he has worked for more than 20 years as a retail supervisor and oversees 11 Craddock Oil convenience stores.
"I know how to bring us together as a group and team to work on the same page," he said.
Barnes, 57, is a lifetime McComb resident, a 1982 McComb High School graduate and a Baertown resident of 22 years.
McKnight belongs to True Gospel Missionary Baptist Church and is a minister of Women in Worth Ministry, which does street ministry. She is a fitting room attendant at Marshall’s and has had her own hair salon across from McComb City Hall for 14 years, which she said helped her learn how to handle a budget.
“Being out here in the community, especially during COVID, it was the needs of the people, especially the elderly,” she said. “They had a hard time finding certain things. We would get together as a ministry and bless the people.”
McKnight said she has also run a household as a single parent. She has two kids, son Malik, 14, who is in the McComb School District and a daughter Modesty, who is at Southern Miss.
Bates is pastor of Rose Hill Free Will Baptist Church in McComb and has been a Mississippi Free Will Baptist Church bishop for nine years.
He has been a car salesman for more nearly three decades and has mentored students in the McComb, North Pike and South Pike school districts.
“I’ve been working in the community along with the people for over 30-something years,” he said. “I am a people person and I love the love that I have for my community, to work along with them to bring changes to our community.”
While none of the candidates have held office, they all believe their life experiences prepared them for the selectman position.
All three candidates both emphasized crime as a key issue.
Barnes noted the killing of Frankiyon Bates, 26, of Magnolia, who died of multiple gunshot wounds in the shooting that occurred around 1:30 a.m. at an event center on Presley Boulevard.
“That guy that got killed down on Presley is right in my backyard,” Barnes said. “I heard the shots and the whole nine yards, so that’s a big pet peeve of mine and I want to work with the city, the chief to get with them because we’ve got to get this done.”
In addition to working with officials and employees, Barnes said he plans to hold community meetings, going door-to-door and reaching out to churches, to lower crime. He wants the city to have sports programs for kids so they can engage in positive activities.
Bates said he believes high crime rates have affected property values, not to mention the quality of life.
Barnes said he wants to make the city better for his children and grandchildren.
“I want to make it better for them to be proud to live in McComb, Mississippi,” he said.
Bates said crime has hurt education and economic development in the city.
“Crime is just ridiculous here in the McComb area,” he said. “It should be a place where you will not fear to go out or do anything.”
Bates said his wife, Cadessa, works at Denman Junior High School, and if elected he would like to work with McComb superintendent Dr. Cederick Ellis to make sure parents are held accountable for how they raise their children.
“We’ve got to not just make excuses of why they are not doing it,” Bates said. “We need to come up with a solution.”
McKnight said he plans to start a “Boys to Men” project.
“In our community, the crime rate has gotten so high and I want to do something in the community that can bring us back to have hope in the community, especially our young men,” she said.
McKnight proposed having the activities at the Alpha Center, which is currently being upgraded. Williams, the current Ward 4 selectman, led the effort to make the improvements happen.
“He worked hard to do that and I was really proud of him for what he did in the Alpha Center,” she said.
Thompson could not be reached for comment.
