Following an appeal from a former police officer, city leaders Tuesday said the next police chief is as likely to come from within the Columbus Police Department as outside it.
“Give our own men an opportunity to be chief of police,” Jimmy Elkin, who served with the CPD in 1972 and 1973, said during Tuesday”s council meeting, stressing the councilmen should not “import” a chief, as when the city hired former police chief Joseph St. John from Newport News, Va.
“We want to get the best possible person,” Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem said, after the meeting. “But I also agree that we have some good men and women that can fill that position. Also, I think we should get the best person for the job and who”s to say that person is not already at the police department.”
“I have mixed emotions,” said Vice Mayor and Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin. “I think when you do have people in house, who do a good job, you”ve got to reward them. But the downside (of hiring from within) is they sometimes bring in the old ways of doing things. I”ve run into this in the educational system. Outsiders can have fresh ideas and see things in a new way. Outside sources are healthy.
“There are some positive things to be said about (hiring) the people inside the department,” he continued. “But they can have fixed opinions and predetermined ideas though. It”s a fine line one way or another. We need to look at the individuals themselves and what they bring to the table. We have to really look at the individual.”
“I do think we have people within the department who are qualified, but until we go through the application process, we won”t know who is the most qualified,” said Columbus Mayor Robert Smith. “We do have some good applicants with a lot of experience and leadership ability. We have to go through the process.”
The application deadline for the position, which includes a salary of $70,000 to $75,000, recently was extended to Sept. 8.
More than 75 people have submitted applications.
The former head of the Criminal Investigations Division, Lt. Selvain McQueen, has been serving as interim police chief since St. John was fired in July. McQueen also is a candidate for Lowndes County sheriff.
The city is advertising in local media and national publications directed toward police officers as was done to find St. John.
A search committee will narrow the pool of candidates to five to be interviewed for the position.
In other matters,
n The council voted 4 to 1 to purchase lights and utility poles for Seventh Avenue, using general obligation infrastructure bond money.
Karriem motioned the council approve the purchase, but Gavin objected, noting the councilmen promised to use the bond money to pave city streets.
“I used 100 percent of the money to pave the streets in my ward,” he explained, adding to use the funds for any other purpose would “perpetuate a lie to the public.”
He also noted “replacing light bulbs” should be the responsibility of Columbus Light and Water.
“Paving streets is something we told people we”d do with this money,” Gavin concluded.
“It”s a matter of opinion,” Karriem responded. “What he needs to do in Ward 6 may not be what I need to do in Ward 5.”
Gavin voted against Karriem”s motion; Ward 1 Councilman Gene Taylor, who is recovering from back surgery, was absent from Tuesday”s meeting.
n City Engineer Kevin Stafford discussed ways to improve traffic flow at the intersection of 18th Avenue North and Military Road, near the Sunflower grocery store on Military Road.
“Coming out of the Sunflower parking lot is really a safety issue,” said Karriem. “Something needs to happen there. It”s really a dangerous intersection.”
Among other options, Stafford noted grant funding may be available to “redo the whole intersection” — likely at a cost of less than $120,000 — or Columbus Light and Water could install a traffic signal to ameliorate traffic conditions, likely at a cost of around $10,000.
n Approved the Columbus Municipal School District fiscal year 2012 budget. The $43.5 million budget, which was first presented at a July 19 public hearing, includes a request of $13.39 million from the Columbus City Council. According to County Tax Assessor Greg Andrews, the request, which the city is legally obligated to honor, will result in a 2.9-mill tax increase for city residents. Based on a $100,000 home, that would mean a $28-per-year tax increase for homeowners.
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