Mayor Quordiniah Lockley defeated Selectman Michael Cameron in McComb’s general election Tuesday and welcomed an entirely new incoming board, calling it a group of like-minded people who can things done for McComb.
Lockley, a Democrat, defeated Cameron 910 (54.54%) to 747 (44.76%). Cameron ran as an independent and has served the last 12 years as a Republican in the Ward 2 selectman seat.
Lockley thanked his supporters at a victory party at C&G Community Hall, appearing with selectmen-elect Terri Waterman-Baylor, John Bates, Bruce Mullins and Tabitha Felder Isaac.
“I can get support from the board where we can do greater things for the City of McComb,” he said. “Look, we’ve got an all new board. I look to have a board that will be willing to work with me to make McComb better. And I want you to hold us accountable. Do you hear what I said? I want you to hold us accountable for everything we do.”
Cameron expressed appreciation toward his constituents and supporters on Wednesday following the loss.
“I just want to tell the people of Ward 2 thank you for my support for 12 years,” he said. “Thank you for the support that I got during the mayoral campaign. I really appreciate it.”
Cameron led in majority-white and mostly conservative Ward 1 in west McComb, beating Lockley nearly 4 to 1. In Ward 2, located in the middle of the city, he led by just seven votes, 177-170. Lockley more than made up for it in the city’s other three precincts, beating Cameron handedly in East McComb, Baertown and Burglund.
After learning he had enough votes to secure the win, Lockley said Tuesday night that he will recommend the new city board to rehire David Myers as city administrator when it takes office in July.
Myers has called his recent termination by the current city board a matter of politics that had nothing to do with his job performance, and Lockley agreed.
“I think Mr. Myers did an excellent job under the conditions that he was working,” the mayor said. “Mr. Myers listened. He was thorough in his work. He was willing to cross over to my office and ask me my opinion because I have been here awhile. It just made everything better having a knowledgeable, qualified person across the hall from me.”
Myers said things would be “100 percent better” working with a new board.
“I think he’s a very upstanding citizen,” said Myers of Lockley. “I actually like the guy. I really like working for him, too. He let me do my job and he’s always supportive. I leaned on him for his knowledge in city government.”
Rep. Daryl Porter endorsed Lockley and also was encouraged by the forthcoming change of all six city board members.
“I decided to endorse Mayor Lockley because, despite the last four years of him having a board that was, obviously, difficult to deal with, I believe he did a great job in spite of adversity,” Porter said. “I just don’t think he really had a fair shake at leading the city like he wanted to lead it because he had some difficult board members he had to deal with. I endorsed him because he has the opportunity to lead the city with a whole new board and do a lot of great things for the City of McComb.”
Porter specifically said Lockley and Police Chief Garland Ward have done a good job to try and lower crime. He also agreed with Lockley recommending Myers, who was his predecessor in the Mississippi House of Representatives, to be the city administrator again.
“I’m excited,” Porter said. “I think that’s a great decision by Mayor Lockley. Day 1, we’ll get David Myers back on board so we can continue working together to, again, see McComb prosper.”
At the victory celebration, Lockley spoke with Ward 3 Selectwoman-elect Terri Waterman-Baylor, Ward 4 Selectman-elect John Bates and Ward 5 Selectman-elect Bruce Mullins.
“I look forward to working with McComb for everyone, not just us, but everyone,” Waterman-Baylor said. “If we can do that, we can move McComb forward.”
Mullins also asked voters to hold the board accountable, and if they’re displeased with officials’ job performance, do as they did this year — a bitter season for incumbents, Lockley excluded — and make their voices known at the ballot box.
The incoming board will have the same partisan make up, four Democrats — Selectwoman at-large Tabitha Felder Isaac, Waterman-Baylor, Bates and Mullins — and two Republicans — Tommy McKenzie in Ward 1 and Matt Codding in Ward 2.
Cameron has not ruled out again running for political office.
“Who knows?” he said. “That will be a long time from now. I have plenty of time to think about that, but who knows right now?”
In the meantime, Cameron said he would avail himself to the new board.
“I’ll always be available for anything anybody needs,” he said.
Write-in candidates received 12 votes. Trischell Veal, who failed to qualify for the mayor’s race, ran a write-in campaign, despite little chances for those votes to get counted under state election laws.
A total of 1,684 votes were cast for a 24.85% turnout.
“It’s just extremely disappointing about the turnout,” Cameron said. “It’s (voting) extremely important.”
