Mayor Calls Consultant Request “Recreation Segregation”

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) — Battle lines are being drawn over recreation in Lowndes County.

A county supervisor wants to hire a consultant, and the mayor calls it “recreation segregation.”

Board President Harry Sanders sent a letter to the Columbus city council and CLRA about his plans to request a consultant be hired.

He wants the organization’s operations, future opportunities, improvement recommendations, and the inter-local agreement between the county and city to be examined.

He would also like to hear improvement recommendations.

In a statement to WCBI, Columbus Mayor Robert Smith says he believes most supervisors already know what they are going to do, and that is to create a county recreation organization.

Smith says, “Mr. Sanders and some of his board want to segregate the parks, just like the old days.”

Sanders plans to introduce the proposal at the June 17th board of supervisors meeting.

Here is Mayor Smith’s full statement to WCBI: “I believe the majority of the board of supervisors already know what they are going to do. This is a plan that will result in Lowndes County leaving the recreation commission, and starting their owns leagues, their own parks, their own everything. Duplicating services in two different systems will increase costs and reduce efficiency. This will be a step back in time. Mr. Sanders and some of his board want to segregate the parks, just like the old days. We will be like we were in the ’60s. Let’s call it what it is – recreation segregation.”