McComb Mayor Whitney Rawlings broke a tie vote Tuesday to deny expanding the city’s public comments policy to allow for 15 minutes of discussion from residents at city board work sessions.
Selectman Tammy Witherspoon made a motion as the meeting began to amend the agenda and add an item to adjust the policy. She received a second from Selectman Andranette Jordan.
“I think at work sessions only, I am asking that the citizens have two minutes to speak about an item that is being discussed at the work session,” Witherspoon said.
Despite voting unanimously to amend the agenda, the board split when it came time to vote.
Witherspoon, Jordan and Selectman Melvin Joe Johnson voted to allow 15 minutes of public comment at work sessions. Selectmen Michael Cameron, Ted Tullos and Tommy McKenzie opposed, and Mayor Whitney Rawlings broke the tie by voting no as well.
Board attorney Wayne Dowdy reiterated his concern that the measure would circumvent the mayor’s authority to lead the meetings.
“Every mayor does it differently,” he said, noting policies in Summit, which allows no off-agenda public comment at meetings, and Magnolia, which does.
Witherspoon said her intentions are not to take power away from Rawlings.
“This is not to overrule the mayor,” Witherspoon said.
“I respect what y’all are saying, but I think legally, though, that you are attempting to circumvent the state law and say, ‘We don’t want you to be able to conduct the meeting as you want to conduct it in regards to this,’ ” Dowdy said.
McKenzie said the current system illustrates how government works — people bring their concerns to their elected officials, who discuss it before the board.
“Constituents came to Mrs. Witherspoon and she is voicing it to the board,” he said. “That is how it works. We do the work.”
He also pointed out that current policy allows for residents to fill out a form to be placed on the board meeting agenda, and they may speak.
Albert Eubanks is one resident who filled out that form and addressed the board on Tuesday. He voiced concern about redistricting, crosswalks on Locust Street and recreation in East McComb.
On redistricting, he repeated his request for the board to rescind its vote on a plan adopted last month and to consider an alternative. Last week, Eubanks and others presented a redistricting plan developed by the civil rights group Southern Echo.
Eubanks also asked for signs to be placed on South Locust Street warning truckers that children cross the road, and he asked for more recreational opportunities for senior citizens in east McComb.
