After months of adhering to a proverbial peace treaty, tensions again mounted and tempers flared Monday between Board President and District 1 Supervisor Harry Sanders and District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks.
Sanders accused Brooks of being belligerent with County Administrator Ralph Billingsley, after Billingsley refused to purchase an iPhone Brooks allegedly requested for county use.
“We have a handbook our employees have to follow and I think the county officials should follow these (rules), too,” Sanders said. “The (Lowndes County Board of Supervisors) does not approve of abusive and vulgar language. You don’t use curse words and threaten people.”
Although Sanders did not witness the incident between Brooks and Billingsley, he said a state auditor heard the conversation and reported it to him. After a shouting match over procedural policies, Monday Brooks said Sanders projected an old South mentality.
“You think this is the plantation and you are the plantation manager,” Brooks said. “When (Billingsley) is disrespectful to me, he may get some more. I grew up in a time when older black men had to say ‘Yes, sir’ to younger white men. You think you are the boss, Harry Sanders. If you want Ralph to be your boy, go ahead. As long as Ralph Billingsley gets disrespectful with me, he can expect my rebuke. Your days are numbered, Harry Sanders. You think you can treat people any way you want. You could have come at me personally about this, but you didn’t hear a word of what was said. This isn’t about an iPhone; it’s about me being disrespected.”
District 2 Supervisor Bill Brigham tried to use a calmer approach, but chastised Brooks for making race an issue.
“Leroy, we have talked about this matter in private,” Brigham said. “I respect you, but it’s not fair to bring the race card into this. We have to get past the race cards. It’s not good for our community.”
“Bill, you are one of the most honorable men I’ve met and I will go out of my way to respect you,” Brooks replied. “I just hope you don’t get caught up in the politics of Lowndes County. If this wasn’t about race, (District 4 Supervisor) Jeff Smith would be the vice president of the board. Race relations have to start here. Bill, you have a great burden. If you fail, I will have lost all my faith in the mankind of this community. I told Ralph, when he came here, not to get caught up in the politics. But if he is disrespectful to me again, I’m going to deal with it and there is nothing (Sanders) can do to stop me. I’m a grown man.”
Brooks picked up his briefcase and left the meeting. Smith said the discussion should have been held in private.
“This should have been done in executive session,” Smith said. “This should have been done in private for the sake of Ralph — he’s an employee. I’m not taking sides because I wasn’t there. This is all based on speculation. To discuss this in front of the media and general public was wrong.
“But there was some truth in what (Brooks) said,” Smith continued. “There are some double standards here. It’s easy to pass judgment, but sometimes it feels as if we are playing second fiddle to the other supervisors. You have to see it from more than one perspective. I’m not defending Leroy, but sometimes we aren’t given the same input as some of the other supervisors. It’s frustrating.”
Sagging pants
Prior to the exchange over the iPhone, the supervisors briefly discussed a “sagging pants” ordinance, like one recently passed by the Columbus City Council.
“I was contacted by some citizens in my ward about men wearing their pants below their buttocks,” Smith said. “I wanted to bring it before the board to discuss if we want to pass something, like the one Columbus just passed.”
“As repulsive as I find young men wearing their pants below their butts, I don’t know that it’s indecent exposure,” said Brooks. “It’s like a woman wearing a two-piece bikini. Old people don’t like it, but they didn’t like afros and mini skirts. I hate dreadlocks; I think they look dirty. But I think we need to work with these young men and leave the police out of it.”
Sanders said he agreed with Brooks “100 percent.”
“We don’t need to legislate the way people dress,” Sanders said. “It’s unconstitutional. Our Sheriff’s and Police departments have better things to do than enforce this. If you’re going to allow The Pony (strip club) on Highway 45, we can’t be arresting people for going out in their pajamas to get the newspaper.”
Smith said he would not pursue the issue.
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.