In anticipation of a court-ordered special election, the Itta Bena Board of Aldermen on Tuesday ousted and replaced two of the town’s election commissioners.
Mary Hines and Elsie Harris were removed and Henry Purnell and Deborah Freeman will replace them.
Mayor J.D. Brasel told the board that there will likely be a special election for mayor in January and election commissioners will be required to attend training in Jackson before the vote.
This follows notification from specially appointed Judge Henry L. Lackey ordering either a jury trial or a special election to determine a legitimate winner in the contested June 6 election. Lackey is also requiring training for election commissioners.
Brasel’s opponent, William McGee, contested the election results in a petition filed June 26 alleging numerous irregularities in the vote tallying process.
An Aug. 25 hearing before Lackey in Leflore County Circuit Court revealed several misplaced or missing items in the ballot boxes, missing applications for absentee ballots and a missing voting machine tape from one ward. Lackey took the issue under consideration at that time and has now said a legal remedy is required.
Brasel said his attorney, Caleb Koonce of Jackson, told him that McGee and his counsel, Margaretta McKee of Jackson, have indicated they prefer a special election to a jury trial. A date has not been set for the special election, but Brasel said his attorney told him to “go ahead and start campaigning.”
The contested results gave Brasel the win by a margin of 10 votes.
The board also heard from Itta Bena resident Paul Haley of Mobile Communications regarding the town’s recent negotiations with Upchurch Telecom and Data, Inc. of Greenwood to place wireless satellite dishes on the city water tower.
An Upchurch representative presented a plan to the board last month, saying the company simply wanted to improve wireless service to the Leflore County business incubator building on U.S. 82 in Itta Bena.
Leflore County Supervisor Wayne Self was scheduled to appear before Itta Bena aldermen twice in the last month to speak for the county and was on Tuesday night’s agenda as well but was not present.
Haley said his company had approached the board when Thelma Collins was mayor, asking to have dishes placed on the water tower, and was shot down repeatedly.
“We offered free internet service, and we were denied,” he said. “The rumor around town is Upchurch is getting up there for free, and if they wrap antennas around that tower, it will hurt us.”
Brasel said Itta Bena’s consideration of Upchurch’s offer was merely a courtesy to the county.
“We’re just trying to help them,” he said. “They do so much for us.”
Haley argued that as a local business, Mobile Communications could work more easily with local customers, and it already contracts for wireless service to a number of Itta Bena residents and businesses.
He asked the board to reconsider his company’s proposal at an upcoming meeting, emphasizing that Upchurch’s encroachment on wireless signals would negatively affect his company’s ability to provide wireless communication access.
The board agreed to hear Mobile Communications’ proposal and to hear again from Upchurch and Self before deciding which company will have access to the water tower.
•Contact Kathryn Eastburn at 581-7235 or keastburn@gwcommonwealth.com.
