Your Clarksdale Press Register is 159-years-old, but we dare say it has never seen the poltical antics that were displayed at a Clarksdale City Board of Mayor and Commissioners meeting earlier this week.
Mayor Chuck Espy threw a temper tantrum because he didn’t get his way, pounded the podium, used coarse language, got loud, snatched off his jacket, and then stomped away from a meeting of that august body, slamming the door for good measure.
Espy’s last words before his exit were, “You don’t need me.”
Mr. Espy, we would like to point out our weak mayor form of government doesn’t need you to make decisions. Decisions are made by our four commissioners and you only get to vote in a tie.
Mr. Espy, as the sole leader of the executive branch of city government, we do need you to execute the wishes of the city board. You should serve them, and every person who votes for those commissioners, with a true servant’s heart.
Clarksdale has a wealth of bright individuals who have seen things and done thing and can come up with brilliant ideas to solve problems. We hope every elected official will listen to those men and women.
Mr. Espy, we also have to point out you showed your ignorance and cavalier attitude by trying to deflect an unsolved murder as something Commissioners were responsible for.
Earlier this summer our Commissioners looked out on a city board room filled with people they have known all their life and voted not to name your choice - former Sheriff Charles Jones - as director of a city drug/gang task force. Voters had just turned down Jones as their sheriff in a county election just a few months earlier.
We have no knowledge of Sheriff Jones doing anything wrong while in office. We have full knowledge that Coahoma County voters picked Mario Magsby as their new sheriff.
How do you think Clarksdale Policeman and drug/gang taskforce director Jones would have worked with the newly elected sheriff?
Mayor Espy, quit spinning events, playing good-ole-boy politics, feathering your nest and setting yourself up for a higher political office. Most of all, quit playing off two White Commissioners against two Black Commissioners so you get to call the shots.
Let our police force do the job of fighting crime and catching crooks like they are trained to do. Let our public works department do the heavy lifting and clean-up projects only skilled operators can do. Let every employee in City Hall do their job and not have to clear it all through you.
The Mayor’s job is to make sure plans are executed and the wishes of Commissioners are implemented. Just do the job you were elected to!
Mayor Chuck Espy, as you so love to say to commissioners and other city employees, we say to you, “Let’s get to work.”
If you don’t, city commissioners will.
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