NATCHEZ, Miss. – The mayor and aldermen began their new term Monday with high hopes for more unity and progress as they work to advance what they’ve been doing the past four years.
“It’s time for us to do so much more,” Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson said after taking his oath of office for his second term.
Reciting a list of accomplishments by him and the Natchez Board Aldermen since 2020 – such as repaving 50 city streets and upgrading city parks without raising taxes – Gibson said he looks forward to resurfacing more streets, building a gymnasium at Duncan Park and spending $24.5 million in federal funds recently awarded. The money is to enhance a Natchez corridor stretching from Devereux Drive through downtown to the bluff overlooking the Mississippi River.
“Many great things are coming our way,” Gibson said.
He and the six aldermen were returned to office in the spring elections – with the mayor having no challenger and just three aldermen encountering opponents. Expressing appreciation for what Gibson said is “a vote of confidence” by the Natchez electorate, they began their new term Monday with inauguration ceremonies at the Natchez Convention Center with at least 200 or more people in attendance.
“Together we shape the future of our city,” said Ward 3 Alderman Sarah Carter Smith, who begins her 13th year in office as the longest-serving member of the city board and is the city’s mayor pro tempore.
Joining Gibson and Smith in the new four-year term: Ward 1 Alderman Valencia Hall for her second term; Ward 2 Alderman Billie Joe Frazier for his third term; Ward 4 Alderman Felicia Irving for her third term; Ward 5 Alderman Ben Davis for his third term; Ward 6 Alderman Curtis Moroney for his first full term. He was elected in 2023 in a special election to replace Dan Dillard, who died last year with one year left in the past term.
While the mayor and aldermen are in harmony on most issues, they can be sharply divided on some – with Hall, Smith, Davis and Moroney usually allied with Gibson while Frazier and Irving are in dissent. Davis sometimes sides with them, forcing Gibson to break tie votes.
Irving expressed hope for less division in the next four years.
“We don’t always agree with the issues at hand, but we can compromise,” she said.
After taking their oaths of office Monday, the mayor and aldermen held an organizational meeting to unanimously reappoint City Clerk Megan McKenzie, City Attorney Jack Lazarus and other city administrators.
However, the mayor and aldermen did quarrel in appointing two Natchez Convention Promotion Commission members and the city transit director.
While all aldermen voted to appoint John Grady Burns and Jennie Guido to the city tourism board, Frazier indicated the six-member commission should have more Blacks than the two that have been serving. Irving said aldermen should have more input in picking candidates to consider.
Guido, marketing coordinator for the Mississippi Tourism Association, and Burns, a designer and Natchez store owner, were recommended by the four sitting commission members. Guido and Burns are replacing Katie McCabe and Dana Wilson, who both resigned last year.
The mayor and aldermen also got hung up Monday discussing the appointment of Louis Davis as Natchez transit director. Since he’s related to Alderman Davis, questions have arisen that appointing Louis Davis could be violating state nepotism laws, Gibson said. Davis will serve as interim director until it’s determined he can legally stay in the position, which oversees the city’s public shuttle service.
Did the City Clerk and deputy take their oaths and enter into a bond accordingly to the City Code?
ARTICLE III. – OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES | Code of Ordinances | Natchez, MS | Municode Library
Sec. 2-136. Oath and bond.
Before the city clerk enters upon the duties of his or her office, he or she shall take the oath prescribed by the state constitution before the mayor, municipal judge or county judge and enter into bond in the penal sum of $50,000.00 with good and sufficient security to be approved of by the mayor and board of aldermen, payable to the mayor, conditioned that he or she will well and faithfully discharge the duties of his or her office during the continuance thereof, and so long as he or she shall hold the same, which bond shall be filed among the records of his or her office.
(Code 1969, § 2-31)
State constitution reference(s)—Oath of office, § 268.
State law reference(s)—Bond of municipal clerk, MCA 1972, § 21-15-38.
Sec. 2-137. Duties.
The duties of the city clerk shall be as follows:
(1) Attend each and every meeting of the mayor and board of aldermen and to be responsible for minutes of their proceedings;
(2) Record and transcribe in a book provided for that purpose all the ordinances and laws passed by the mayor and board of aldermen;
(3) Keep the city seal and affix the same in all cases required by the provisions of this Code, state law or city ordinance;
(4) Pay over all moneys received by him or her each month into the city depository and render a monthly statement of such moneys to the mayor and board of aldermen;
(5) Keep an office in the municipal building in which he or she shall keep all the records of the proceedings of the mayor and board of aldermen, and all the laws and ordinances of the city;
(6) Discharge all the duties required of him or her by the provision of this Code, state law or city ordinance, rule or regulation; and
(7) Be in charge of the issuance of privilege licenses; and
(8) Do and perform all other acts such as supervision, operation, management, and direction of the following areas of municipal government: management and budget, finance, accounting and audit, personnel, insurance, information and data processing, purchasing, civil service and voter registration. The city clerk shall further be vested with all of the powers, duties and authority under the laws of the state, including but not limited to the duties prescribed by MCA 1972, §§ 21-15-19, 21-15-21, 21-23-11, 21-33-27, 21-39-19, 21-33-41, 21-33-47, 21-33-67, 21-35-11, 21-35-13, 21-39-05, 21-39-07, 21-39-13, 21-39-19, 21-41-13, and 21-41-21.
(Code 1969, § 2-32)
State law reference(s)—Duties of municipal clerk, MCA 1972, § 21-15-17 et seq.; monthly report of clerk, MCA 1972, § 21-35-13.
Sec. 2-138. Provision of public examination and inspection of records of proceedings.
All records of the proceedings of the mayor and board of aldermen and all the laws, ordinances, rules and regulations of the city shall be subject to public examination and inspection as provided in the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983 (MCA 1972, § 25-61-1 et seq.).
(Code 1969, § 2-33)
Sec. 2-139. Deputy city clerk; appointment; qualifications; oath; bond.
The mayor and board of aldermen shall, from time to time as deemed necessary and proper, appoint one or more deputy city clerks. Each person appointed as a deputy city clerk shall possess qualifications as necessary to carry out the functions of the city clerk’s office, shall take the same oath of office and enter into bond requirements according to law and for the faithful performance of his or her duties in the sum of not less than $10,000.00 and shall have the same duties as the city clerk.
(Code 1969, § 2-34)
State law reference(s)—Deputy municipal clerk, MCA 1972, § 21-15-23.
Secs. 2-140—2-150. Reserved.