“It is worthy of note that a wholesome, cooperative spirit exists between (black) and white leadership in McComb. This is something all of our people should fully appreciate. Obviously friendly cooperation is superior to hostile relationships, as is reported often in some parts of America. This working relationship in McComb and the area about can be seen particularly in our business community, in areas of education and in the field of religion.”
— J. Oliver Emmerich, The Enterprise-Journal, June 21, 1968
As the song says, a change is gonna come — and it arrives as soon as July.
That’s when newly elected officials will be sworn into office in McComb, and the dynamic will definitely be different — but can it become a “wholesome, cooperative spirit”?
The board of selectmen will go from a 3-3 split between black Democrats and white Republicans, with a Republican mayor; to a 4-2 black and Democratic majority with a black Democratic mayor.
That’s a recipe that incoming mayor Quordiniah Lockley says will result in “progress for the city of McComb.”
Lockley wouldn’t elaborate on his idea of progress as the tallying of votes wound down Tuesday night, but his fellow Democratic winners, Donovan Hill and Ronnie Brock, offered some ideas.
Hill, stepping up to the selectman-at-large seat from serving as Ward 4’s representative on the board, said he expected his efforts to boost the development of neighborhood parks in Algiers and Baertown to bear fruit in the new term with Republicans unable to block initiatives without help.
“If we can take $5 million that was used around the edges of the city and take the bowl off and use that in our inner city, we can make the city more attractive so it can live up to its full potential,” Hill said. “Working with the mayor, we can get this done.”
Brock said he believes his efforts to rebuild the Martin Luther King gymnasium in Burglund will also gain more traction in the new term.
“If we can look at it and move forward with sound minds ... we can make it happen,” he said.
Ted Tullos, who will serve another term as selectman for Ward 1 — now in the minority — voted against those projects when they were broached during this term.
He voiced fears about what a Democratic administration might mean for the city, and said he wasn’t sure board members would be any more cooperative across the boardroom table.
“The last time we had a Democratic mayor and majority on the board, the city almost went bankrupt,” Tullos said. “The past eight years have been good. I think we’ve done a lot of good things for the city.
“I will continue to use my business experience to do what is best for the city.”
He pointed to economic development initiatives and infrastructure projects such as the milling and overlay of city streets; the recycling program, in which the city works with the county and other municipalities; and upgrades at the police and fire departments and the animal shelter.
Tullos said, as part of the Republican-led board of the past four years, “I voted for what I thought was best. The Democrats didn’t want that, and they voted as such.”
Regardless the influence he is able to wield in the minority, “I will do the best I can for the city of McComb,” he said.
Hill said voters have hired him and the other selectmen to do their best for the city, and the voters should hold board members accountable.
To help voters do that, he said he wants to establish Ward Councils “where citizens can meet and discuss issues and present their ideas to the board,” Hill said.
Giving citizens a more direct voice in their government could be a way “to bring some pride back to the community,” he said.
The intent to work for the city and move it forward seems to be present all around the table — but whether that manifests as greater cooperation among board members, only time will tell.
