McComb city officials say they have taken “appropriate actions” following a special closed-door meeting Friday to discuss “discrepancies” within the city’s municipal court system, but they aren’t saying what the actions or discrepancies are.
District Attorney Dee Bates said the State Auditor’s office has launched its own probe into the municipal court system, but he would not elaborate on the scope of the investigation.
Mayor Whitney Rawlings, Selectmen Michael Cameron, Ronnie Brock and Tammy Witherspoon, City Attorney Wayne Dowdy, City Administrator Quordiniah Lockley, City Clerk Jeannette Butler and Pike County District Attorney Dee Bates met behind closed doors for approximately 30 minutes to discuss personnel matters.
Afterwards, Rawlings read a press release stating only, “On February 12, 2015, discrepancies were discovered in the Municipal Court System of the City of McComb City and appropriate actions were taken including notifying the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor and District Attorney of Pike County.”
City officials made no mention of disciplinary action taken against any court personnel after the executive session, as would have been required under the state’s open meetings laws.
After the meeting, Rawlings directed all questions to Bates or the State Auditor’s office.
“The state auditor’s office has been made aware and they are conducting an investigation,” Bates said.
He declined to elaborate further, only adding, “everyone is innocent until proven guilty.”
