McComb officials are embroiled in yet another internal investigation as the city board — meeting with just half of the selectmen in attendance — voted Thursday to hire an outside company to conduct the probe.
The board voted 3-0 to hire law firm Carroll, Warren & Parker LLC to conduct an internal investigation that city officials voted to launch last month.
Selectmen Michael Cameron, Ted Tullos and Shawn Williams all voted to hire the law firm. Selectmen Ronnie Brock, Donovan Hill and Devante Johnson were absent — having missed both meetings of the city board this week.
Thursday’s meeting was necessary because just one selectman — Tullos — was in attendance when Tuesday’s regularly scheduled board meeting came to order. Mayor Quordiniah Lockley promptly adjourned it for the lack of a quorum.
Asked Friday why he missed the meetings, Johnson said he had no specific reason for his absence. Johnson and Brock both attended a pinning ceremony for newly promoted police officers at 3 p.m. Tuesday, just before that evening’s meeting at 5:30.
Neither Brock nor Hill could be reached for comment this week.
City officials haven’t said publicly what the internal investigation seeks to uncover or who might be involved.
The board voted 5-0 to launch the investigation in an earlier special called meeting, which was held in executive session because it involved personnel matters. Johnson did not vote.
This is the second internal investigation the board has conducted. The first, conducted last year, was also handed by an outside law firm. Multiple sources said it focused on Mayor Quordiniah Lockley and former interim city administrator Ebony Ross, but there were no findings.
