Elected Leaders Call For Unity And The Resignation Of County Supervisor

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- The calls for unity and the resignation of Lowndes County Board of Supervisors President Harry Sanders continue to grow louder.

During a press conference on Monday, eight African-American city, county, and state officials took to the podium, all with the same message Sanders.

They called for him to resign, not just as board president, but as a supervisor altogether.

“We want him to step down,” said Ethel Stewart, who represents Ward 1 on the Columbus city council.

“It’s self explanatory, the damage has been done, there is no apology,” said Pierre Bead, Ward 4 councilman.

“For him stepping down from being president is not enough, that’s not enough because he’s still going to be running the show,” said Joseph Mickens Sr., who represents Ward 2 on the Columbus city council. “We don’t want him just to step down, we want him gone.”

Sanders has been a board member for two decades.

The calls for him to step down come after the comments he made last week towards the African-American community saying, “they were slaves”.

He’d go on to say, “they didn’t have to do anything. Whoever owned them took care of them, fed them, and clothed them.”

More than a week later, District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks said those words continue to cut deep.

“He’s not even been remorseful or apologetic, which we aren’t going to accept that,” said Leroy Brooks, district 5 supervisor. “People are upset. You don’t get to say and do that when you’re a leader in the community, who does that in this political climate.”

City and county leaders believe Sanders’ comments are causing tensions to rise throughout the community.

On Saturday, Teddy Billingsley showed up to a peaceful protest with an AR-15.

He was quickly swarmed by demonstrators as police jumped in to diffuse the situation.

Billingsley was arrested and charged with brandishing a weapon, disturbing the peace, and public intoxication.

“He came up with a pistol and a rifle, and gave the bird to my understanding to the protesters and that’s when they started swarming around him,” said Columbus Mayor Robert Smith.

This is the first arrest believed to have been made at a protest in Columbus this year.

After this alarming incident, city leaders called for Sanders to resign and for his constituents to hold him accountable.

If not, they fear a similar situation could happen again.

“There is an element out there that’s going uncontrolled that’s ready to ascend to share their frustration,” said Jeff Smith, district 4 supervisor. “I don’t think the city or this county is prepared for what that frustration is.”

“By him (Sanders) resigning that will help unify the city of Columbus, that will help race relations, and it will help economic development also,” said Mayor Smith.

During Monday’s presser, city and county leaders also stated they want to see the confederate monument outside the courthouse relocated to Friendship Cemetery.

It was exactly one week ago when the board of supervisors voted to keep the monument at its current location.

He’s out on bond.

The Board’s next meeting is set for June 30th.