A thorn to Columbus Mayor Robert Smith and councilman Gene Taylor, whose blatant defiance of ethical government may leave them with a legacy to which no “public servant” should ever aspire. During Tuesday’s council meeting, both Smith and Taylor chose to vote on an appointment to the city’s utility board despite clear evidence of conflicts of interest. Taylor, whose wife works at Columbus Light & Water, was one of three votes cast to re-appoint Brandy Gardner to a second five-year term. The honorable course of action for Taylor would have been for him to recuse himself on any vote on the utility board. Because the vote ended in a 3-3 tie, Smith broke the tie in favor of Gardner, who had served previously as the mayor’s campaign manager. Again, the conflict of interest is obvious. Interestingly, the major also broke a 3-3 tie in 2009 to appoint Gardner to the board. The mayor should not have voted on this matter on either occasion. It’s hard to make the case that the city believes in open, fair, honest government when these sort of blatant abuses happen routinely.
A rose to Robert “Uncle Bunky” Williams for a lifetime of kindness, most of it directed toward the children of The Golden Triangle. Uncle Bunky, 82 and suffering from terminal cancer, continues to thrill children with his “crazy animal” drawings, as he did this week at Camp Rising Sun. While he is best known for his children’s TV show, which aired on WCBI from 1958-71 and featured his unique cartooning, he also served as a deputy with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department, serving as an investigator for child abuse and neglect cases and also as a narcotics officer. Even in the latter role, his compassion was his trademark, often helping young people who appeared to be headed down a troubled road to turn their lives around. For almost six decades, he has devoted his life to children. The number of cartoons he has drawn is eclipsed only be the innumerable smiles he has given us. “Thank you” seems woefully inadequate.
A rose to Chris Bourland, Leslie Albright and Brandy Ray Bryant, who have been named to leadership positions at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle. Bourland is the hospital’s new ambulance director. Albright takes over as director of respiratory therapy and Bryant assumes the role of nurse manager of 4PT and Transitional Care Unit. All three bring strong credentials into their new roles at the hospital, which continues not only to provide the critical health services we rely on but has long been one of the most important economic engines in our community. We congratulate all three on their new roles.
A rose to Mississippi University for Women’s culinary arts program for its Kids Culinary Camp, which taught basic cooking skills to fourth-graders during a five-day program. Although it will be years before we know, some of the kids who attended camp may be inspired to a career in the culinary arts. But even those who don’t plan to make a career in the kitchen, certainly benefit from being exposed to the idea of cooking, which promotes healthy, nutritious diets. For that reason, every child would participated is likely to benefit from the experience for years to come.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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