McComb’s racial and political unrest has received a lot of exposure over the past ten days. A lot. Beginning on the frontpage of this issue we have printed stories from and about people outside of McComb who are looking at what’s going on down here.

My interview with Roland Martin was very revealing. And the story written by Ward Schaefer of the Jackson Free Press was so revealing that we asked if we could reprint the long story in its entirety. It is a must read! Both articles, I believe point out a glaring problem we have here in Pike county.

Emmett Till. Church bombings and burnings. Lynchings. Mob violence and mob rule. Denial and deprivation. Racism and hatred. Whites oppressing Blacks. How about it Mississippi? How about it McComb? Is this the kind of history that we want today?

Well, it is just the kind of history that we appear to be making, and people else where are taking notice. First Black mayor. He tries to change things so that everyone is included, even Blacks. The good-ole-boy white power structure resists. The mayor is ultimately stripped of his authority and powers. Never happened before. Never in history to the other previous all white mayors. Ridiculous! Is that the kind of history we really want?

 A lot has happened in just the pass few days. More history being made in Pike County Mississippi. Right in McComb. Yes, the Mayor of McComb is still without his power. I am convinced that his authority and his powers were taken from him illegally. That’s the wrong kind of history being made. But, the saga continues. This battle for power and control.

On Tuesday, at the city of McComb board meeting, Mayor Zach Patterson said that the August 26 special meeting called by some of the selectmen was illegal and invalid. It turns out that the mayor is correct.

Selectmen E.C. Nobles and Wade Lamb’s latest proposal to change McComb’s city charter and strip the mayor of his “Duties, Power and Supervision” is actually proof that the charter empowers him with such. This point should not go unnoticed, especially since these two guys, Norman Gillis and others have been arguing a different point for the last two years.
It’s a shame that Mr. Nobles has no more respect for himself than to play puppet for Gillis and the rest of those who would like to dictate the way things run in the city.

All “you know what” is breaking loose at McComb City Hall. The so-called ‘powerless mayor’ has refused to allow his signature to be used to sign checks and legal documents. And, the majority of selectmen are now signing checks, another act that could eventually be determined as a violation of State Law! It’s a mess.

Without Mayor Zach Patterson’s signature on direct deposits and hand written checks, city employees and contractors won’t get paid. But, the selectmen, who called a special meeting on Wednesday to authorize them to sign written checks and use a machine that uses their signature to print on automated checks, appear to be violating state laws because their actions since June 9, 2009 appear to be unlawful, resulting in actions that were unauthorized. What a mess! The selectmen are now in a position where they have to complete their coup of city hall by taking over the money, i.e., the signing power or risk a complete revolt by city employees and lawsuits by contractors.