Members of the Itta Bena Board of Aldermen continued to disagree this morning on the performance record of Police Chief Kary Ellington.
The board voted 3-2 last Tuesday not to reinstate Ellington.
Alderman Donald Fulgham, one of the three board members who voted to fire Ellington, said the decision was based on both Ellington's performance and the establishment of a new administration.
"It's a new board going in, and we felt like we needed to make a change," Fulgham said. "There's just some things that he wasn't doing that we thought he should be."
Fulgham said the aldermen who voted not to reinstate Ellington believed the chief was not active enough in the department.
"As small as Itta Bena is, we need a working chief," he said. "You have got to be there."
Fulgham said the chief was not bringing enough cases to trial and was not an active member of the department.
Ellington said he he met with Mayor J.D. Brasel on Thursday and showed the mayor that those allegations were false.
Brasel has not returned phone calls since Tuesday's board meeting.
Alderwoman Lousia Grantham, who voted in favor of Ellington, said she approved of the police chief's performance. She said that she never saw any evidence that the chief was performing poorly, as alleged by those who voted to fire him.
"I thought he was doing a beautiful job," Grantham said. "Right down there at his office, he made a big improvement because he cleaned things up."
Grantham said Ellington had brought internal order to the department and made the police force more visible in the community.
Alderwoman Mary Hines also voted in favor of the the chief. She said that she believed Ellington was doing an excellent job and never saw any reason to fire him.
Alderman Walter Parker, who voted not to renew the contract, said he had no comment on the decision. Alderwoman Allene Fitts, who introduced the motion, was unavailable for comment.
Board members said the search process for a new chief has not begun, and no acting chief has been named. The board's next meeting is July 31.
