JONESTOWN — Chief Rico Smith, who works on a part-time basis, is still the lone officer in the Jonestown Police Department and citizens and aldermen were looking for that to change during Monday night’s city council meeting.
Alderman Unta Wiley brought up the issue and citizen Johnny Jones Jr. addressed his concerns.
“We need police,” Jones said. “I don’t know where we’re going to get them from. We need police.”
Mayor Kenny Lester agreed police were needed.
“If I’m right, do something about it. I’m a taxpayer,” Jones said. “You’re a taxpayer, too.”
Lester did mention a $5,000 grant that would be coming, but that will pay for equipment, not personnel.
Jonestown resident Tasha Stewart raised concerns about water department head Lewarn “Killer” Flowers being brought back to work after his suspension. She alleged Flowers threatened her and she filed a report with the Coahoma County Sheriff’s Office.
“You said you had papers on Lewarn Flowers?” Wiley asked. “We’re not going to discuss them. Let the court take over.”
“They told me the board needs to be a leader because it happened in the town, in city hall,” Stewart replied.
There was also the debate on the overtime pay Flowers received when he was reinstated from his suspension. He was redoing the electrical system at the city building rented by Mary’s Salon and Beauty across from city hall.
The disagreement was whether or not Flowers did that job during his suspension.
“He got 15 hours for that one day,” Lester said, adding he worked during his suspension on July 19.
Lester also received a reimbursement of $361 for traveling to the Mississippi Municipal League convention in July. He was reimbursed $120 before, but the question was did he have to drive his own vehicle to the convention?
Board attorney Carlos Moore recommended Lester be reimbursed and the vote was 3-1 in his favor. Alderman Gregory Neely Sr. opposed.
The opinion Lester received from the state attorney general read, “Yes, you should be reimbursed mileage for using your personal vehicle for official travel, regardless of who physically did the driving.”
Citizens had an opportunity to voice concerns at the end of the meeting. Brenda D. Green and Yvonne Williams-Brooks were the only aldermen to stay. Wiley said he had to attend another meeting.
