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To the editor:

I see that “Dan M. Gibson Campaign” is responsible for his Facebook Page, and I understand that the mayor has announced his run for a third term. It should be known that the following (4) points from Edwin Lloyd Pittman, the Attorney General’s Opinion 1984 WL 247517 (Miss.A.G.) on what the mayor shall not do while running for a third term:

*1 1. Campaign during the hours when occupied or on duty as an officer or employee;

*1 2. Conduct a campaign which interferes with the prompt and efficient discharge of the duties of the office, position, or employment;

*1 3. Use office, position, or employment to induce or coerce municipal officers, and employees to contribute money or anything of value to candidate’s campaign; nor,

*1 4. Use any municipal funds, property, or facilities to assist in the conduct of a campaign.

This means the mayor needs to use his own resources and not use city resources and time to assist in the conduct of his campaign which he is clearly doing now. He must not allow his campaign to interfere with the duties of his office and must not use city funds, property (pictures that are owned by the city) or facilities to assist his campaign.

In fact, the City’s FB page has nothing  to do with City Hall and informing the public to “recommend such measures as he may deem beneficial to the health, security and good order and government of the corporation.” Instead, it is really the mayor using city resources and contractors paid by the city to campaign for a third term while he is supposed to be devoting all of his time to the duties of the mayor. And advertising the city to the city is like speaking to the choir, we know, we live here and we’re paying for it.

He is in violation of the City Charter Sec. 32  — The mayor shall be the chief executive officer of the corporation, and it shall be his duty to see that the laws and ordinances thereof shall be strictly enforced; to inspect the conduct of subordinate officers, and see that their duties are performed; he shall report, from time to time, to the council all delinquencies on the part of such officers, and communicate such information, and recommend such measures as he may deem beneficial to the health, security and good order of government  for the citizens of Natchez, Mississippi – Code of Ordinances PART II – CODE Chapter 2 – ADMINISTRATION ARTICLE II. – MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN DIVISION 3. – MAYOR Sec. 2-105. – Duty to devote full time to office. And he is in violation of  the Attorney General’s Opinion on campaigning while holding office. This all means that he is not supposed to invest any time that takes away from his duties of his office. There are many duties and his attention to those duties are sorely needed at City Hall to preserve our rights as citizens for health, safety, security, and good order of government.

He needs to calm himself down and tend to his duties at City Hall. Maybe he could have the city clerk sit downstairs where she is supposed to be accessible to the public and not hide upstairs (not handicapped accessible) and behind a closed door. She should be there for the public to inspect any public information that she is responsible for as an employee of the city. She should be posting agendas to the public before the meetings and the minutes should be posted within 30 days as is prescribed by her duties after the meeting. She shouldn’t be talking in board meeting unless she’s been asked a question directly. Just because “it’s in the budget” doesn’t mean she decides how to spend our money. The mayor alluded to this in a Board meeting about tightening up on the budget and it is up to the Board of Aldermen to decide how to spend the taxpayers’ money. They need to be given the information they need to decide which comes from the agenda. This is just one department of many that the mayor is not attending to. I know that more money is spent on economic development non-profits than is budgeted and they are just a self-fulfilling prophesy as of now as there are still no more jobs, jobs, jobs. As the mayor says, Natchez Deserves More.

Alma Carpenter

Natchez