Between the Headlines: Columbus
Between the Headlines dives deep into the stories shaping Columbus and Lowndes County, Mississippi. Hosted by The Commercial Dispatch managing editor Zack Plair and local businessman and commentator David Chism, this show goes beyond the front page to bring you the real conversations behind local politics, policies and people. Zack’s journalistic expertise and David’s insight deliver in-depth analysis, spirited debate, and behind-the-scenes context you won’t get anywhere else. It's honest discussion on what matters.
Between the Headlines: Columbus
In Studio: Leroy Brooks and Stephen Jones
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First, Zack and David dissect "an exercise in the absurd" as they recount the previous night's Democratic forum where Ward 5 Councilman Stephen Jones and County Supervisor Leroy Brooks spent more time trading barbs than discussing policy. The duo analyzes how these political heavyweights overshadowed other candidates while turning what should have been a substantive debate into what one audience member aptly described as "a comic strip."
Then, both Democrat mayoral candidates join us in studio for a heated discussion that reveals fundamental differences in their visions for Columbus. Brooks leverages his 41 years of experience and methodical approach, while Jones defends his council record and immediate action plans. Tensions flare as they debate city leadership structure, financial management, and the racial dynamics underlying Columbus politics.
From the opinion page of the Commercial Dispatch. This is Between the Headlines.
Speaker 3This is Peter Imes, publisher of the Dispatch. One of our hosts of Between the Headlines is the managing editor of our newsroom. Typically, we try to keep news and opinion separate, but reporters have a unique insight into the workings of local government and their analysis can be helpful for readers and listeners. The Dispatch remains committed to journalistic integrity and our reporting will always reflect that. And now Between the Headlines.
Speaker 4This week on Between the Headlines. This week on Between the Headlines, the citizens of Columbus gather for the bombast known as the Democrat debate, and we got winners, we got losers. Zach and I will break that down today, and also we'll talk a little bit about the amphitheater. And we've got in the studio today none other than Leroy and Stephen at each other. We break it down. But first a word from our sponsors.
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Speaker 2I want to thank the Commercial Dispatch for this podcast, bringing different views in an open discussion. I'm Bill Strauss, humbly asking for your vote as next mayor of Columbus. You deserve transparency and accountability for your tax dollars. I'm business friendly and charitable. Vote Bill Strauss Mayor of Columbus 2025. Paid for by campaign to elect Bill Strauss.
Speaker 4And now a message from political candidate Jason Spears.
Speaker 5I am Jason Spears, candidate for City Council, Ward 6. Over the past 20 years, I faithfully and effectively served our community in many different ways. If elected, I will bring structure and strategy to the city's finances, help develop a blueprint to capitalize on the growing economic activity in our city and work to strengthen relationships with Lowndes County officials, the Golden Triangle Development Link and, most importantly, you, the citizens of Columbus. I approve this message and, on April 1st, vote Jason Spears for Ward 6, paid for by the campaign to elect Jason Spears.
Democratic Forum Recap
Speaker 4All right. So, zach, last night I went to this event that was advertised to me as the Democrat Forum and most of the Democrat candidates for council were there, as well as Stephen Jones and Leroy Brooks, and I got in there. The candidates were in the middle, but to the left was Mr Leroy, to the right was Stephen Jones, and it was. It was just a peculiar setup. And these well-meaning ward councilman candidates, councilwomen, they, they introduced themselves, they introduced themselves, they gave a piece of their heart and I felt like I got to know them. But the whole dadgum time I felt like they were overshadowed by these two behemoth gentlemen just dominating the conversation left and right, and so I just I left the meeting not knowing precisely what I attended.
Speaker 1Well, that's pretty much what I got. First of all, I don't think the CVB is going to want to use clips from that forum in any of its Catch you in Columbus advertising campaign.
Speaker 4No.
Speaker 1And you know it was an exercise in the absurd. It was absolutely entertaining at times and it was like a comedy sketch show about a candidate forum, more than a candidate forum itself at times. And I'm going to tell you and I could see it on the looks on the council candidates faces who were sitting between Leroy and Stephen, as they were just lobbing bombs at each other from the podium, it looked like they showed up unwittingly at an intervention for Leroy and Stephen and it wasn't going well. That's what it looked like.
Speaker 4Definitely a problem in the sense that a lot of the meat of the issues, a lot of the content, just got lost in the back and forth and it was discussed.
Speaker 1All these barbs, the content was discussed and I want to start there, david, with the mayoral side here. I don't think you know, last night I don't think either candidate helped himself much. First of all, I think Stephen started off pretty strong, if you remember. I mean, he starts off, he comes right at them with the you know. Thanks for inviting me properly to this debate, unlike the party proper to the debate I didn't show up to.
Speaker 4Yeah.
Speaker 1So he does that. But then he goes right after Leroy talking about. Leroy has said several times he's got a seat at the table with the link, he's got a seat at the table with all the good tables. Stephen attacks that and says if that's been true, and that's been true for all this time, how come Columbus isn't reaping the benefits of it? That gets hoops, hollers, cheers. These are Stevens people, this is Stevens crowd. He's holding them in his hand. You can see it by the demeanors of the two candidates. You can see it in the frustration that Leroy had Even walking up to the mic. You could see it in the swagger that Stevens started to embody straight away. Yes, you could see all of that. But then he blows a golden opportunity to really differentiate himself positively from Leroy. Because you've got Leroy frustrated, you've got him mad and he sort of goes into this back and forth with Steven where they're attacking each other, Passive, aggressively.
Speaker 4Passive, aggressively, I would add, and sometimes active aggressive.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah, Sometimes, Sometimes active, aggressively. So you've got this golden opportunity for Stephen to seize on. You know, Leroy now is into his ego. Leroy is attacking back and Leroy acknowledges in the middle of this forum in one of his answers I'm not going to do that anymore. At the same time, he has gotten into his ego at this point and he is still presenting himself as I am the Lord thy Leroy. You know, I birthed Columbus as a virgin myself and laid it in a manger. And you need to remember that.
Speaker 1And so he was still in that mode and Stephen couldn't quit hitting low.
Speaker 1Stephen couldn't quit hitting low and it culminated in one of the most epic what the kids call self-owns that I have ever seen in a political debate in a public meeting which goes to my favorite part. It's the very last question. It's about retail. Leroy answers first, which was a different problem throughout the night, but Leroy answers first. They ask him about retail. He says you know, retail's hard. It's not going to be a situation with shopping online the prevalence of that. It's not going to be a situation with shopping online, the prevalence of that. It's not going to be a situation where companies are going to be lining up down the highway trying to come in. However, that doesn't mean we can't recruit it. I'm going to go to where they are. I'm going to go to the conferences. I'm going to go to where they are. I'm going to get them to explain to me why not Columbus and I'm going to be your ambassador. I'm going to get them to explain to me why not Columbus and I'm going to be your ambassador. And he comes out in front of the podium and he says and I'm even don't you think I'm dressed for the part, which I thought was nice, you know nice flair. And then he says and when I get in those audiences I'm going to know what to say, I'm not going to stumble and mumble my way through it. Then he goes on and finishes his point.
Speaker 1It's very important to note here that he has not made a direct connection to Stephen at any point in this answer, including the stumbling and mumbling. Now you can infer what you want to infer. He may have been implying it, I don't know, but he didn't do it directly. Stephen inexplicably starts his answer when he walks up there, starts his answer by attacking the moderator by saying he's up here talking about stumbling and mumbling. Y'all are letting him make fun of me and that's OK. But it's not OK when I make fun of him. Two things there. One, why would you get up there? Nobody's called you inarticulate. So why would you get up there and essentially self-own that you might be? Nobody's done that. And second of all, nobody stopped Stephen from making fun of Leroy at any point last night.
Speaker 4I don't think anybody's going to stop either of those gentlemen from exchanging barbs. I mean, certainly Stephen Jones was on offense, which was surprising to me. He started out on offense and he stayed on offense to an absolute fault he did Because at the end it just tapered off and I could hear people starting to moan like is he really still doing that Right? And in fact, by the time the last question got mentioned that you had talked about, one lady shook her head and got up and left. So it left a bad taste, in my opinion, in the mouths of a lot of people that were there.
Speaker 1I think it did. I think that Leroy's demeanor of you need to respect what I have done and if you don't, you're wrong. That didn't play well with a lot of people but I don't think he lost anybody because I feel like the people on the fence. They liked Stephen's answers. At the first they were clapping, but that clapping started to subside, as you said, it started turning into groans. A lady sitting behind me passed me up a note toward the end of the thing that says this should be a comic strip and it was in reference to Stephen's last answer. So obviously you expect in politics that candidates will throw barbs and try to create contrast at their opponent's expense, and that happens.
Speaker 4But you know what? I think the big winner in that lengthy exchange between the two mayoral candidates last night, the big winner was Darren Leach. No listen, everybody talks about Darren Leach. I've been hearing this stuff. Darren Leach is inexperienced. Darren Leach is in bed with lobbyists. Darren Leach hates kittens. But you know what? Darren Leach has largely stayed out of the mud of this ugly political upheaval.
Speaker 1Yeah, by not showing up. He didn't show up for the debate he was invited to.
Speaker 4I don't buy that, but he's an independent. I disagree with you. He wasn't invited to this one was he.
Speaker 1He wasn't invited to this one, but he was invited to the last one. Okay, but to the point that I was making a while ago, you expect in politics that people are going to throw barbs, create contrast at their opponent's expense. I think Stephen went too far last night and I think that it hurt him. It got to feeling good to him and he wouldn't stop and, like you said, a lot of the substance of the debate was lost and there was substance in both candidates' answers. There was substance at times and it got lost in all the shouting and all of the show.
Speaker 4There was a lot of substance. Okay, Most of the substance that I heard centered around either parks and recreation or the amphitheater. And amphitheater, to me, was one of the things that really stuck out. Because I was listening to Leroy. He was talking money. He was talking about what is feasible, what is doable, what is practical, what would hurt our city. And then you've got Stephen Jones over there. He's like hey man, what about that? I'm talking about that dang old amphitheater. I'm going to have that thing done in six months. I'm going to have that. Maybe you should just end up in here. We've got to rock and roll, man. And it's like, OK, can you really do that? That sounds good. The voters want to hear that because they're tired of looking at it, as am I. But are you going to really place the whole city coffers in the dump to do it? I mean, well, you've either got we've talked about this before.
Speaker 1You've either got over 60 percent of your capital fund or you've got to raise the debt and frankly, I don't think the taxpayers. I'm for the amphitheater being finished. I think it'd be a great thing. You know I disagree with Leroy that it shouldn't be a priority at all. I think that there should be a definite push to finish it and use it and let it be a good asset for the taxpayers. To finish it and use it and let it be a good asset for the taxpayers. But I don't know at this point if you have to sell to the taxpayers next budget year or the next budget year that you've got to raise the millage to service the debt that you've created for the amphitheater. Yeah, that's a problem, that's not going to fly.
Speaker 4And the thing about it is you have people out there it may not be a majority, but it's a sizable amount of people that just believe flat out that the government ought not be in the entertainment business.
Speaker 4They will say to you well, my kid is on the PlayStation, my kid is on his phone, my kid goes plays in the woods, basketball cart, whatever, and all this talk about parks and amphitheater and this and that to a lot of people it's a boondoggle. I'm not saying that's right, but what I am saying is, as they're left out in this conversation, the path to financial stability for the city of Columbus is going to be, in my opinion, putting stuff together that's not going to be such a burden, that is to say, the maintenance, upkeep. All this stuff has to have grass and things cut. And I think, when we look at these two candidates and we look at the future of the money okay, who's talking money? Who's thinking about the future? Who's thinking about letting this whole idea be a net positive in terms of money influx? Because our parks are liabilities right now and everybody's talking about parks, but show me the money.
Speaker 1But I want to talk about. There's a duplicity with some of Stephen's words. He and or some of his messaging I should say. He comes to Exchange Club. He talks about we're going to finish the amphitheater, we've got $5 million in the capital fund, we can borrow money. Also, I'm going to build the capital fund. He says this in essentially the same breath. So there's a duplicity there that is interesting. There's one that's a whole lot more concerning is interesting. There's one that's a whole lot more concerning Last night and other places that he's gone he's talked about.
Speaker 1You know, we've got the way that Columbus is portrayed and he specifically says every time in the media has to change and when I'm mayor we're going to change it. Excuse me, what? How are you going to do that? You don't own the media? Does that mean that you're going to have transparency issues? You're just not going to do that. You don't own the media. Does that mean that you're going to have transparency issues? You're just not going to talk about bad things? I don't understand what that means and I'd like that explanation. But he talks about positive image. He talks about portraying Columbus in a more favorable light. He's talking about the people are the things he's most he's proudest of uh being in columbus. But there was a load of negativity coming out of his mouth last night and and I think negativity is was the theme of his messaging. And then he would say but we need to have a more positive image. So if you're leading that positive image, stephen, is this how you intend to do it? Because there was a lot of negativity coming out of this.
Speaker 4Yeah, you've got to embody positivity. You can't just talk about it, you have to embody it, you have to feel it. And I don't contrast this to what he was saying about in the meeting, about making Columbus a college town and branding us as such. I mean really confusing stuff there. I just don't see a heavy market for gear that has owls on it. You know, and I mean, people come to MUW to study. They don't come here to party and drink. I think Sex and the City came to Columbus a while back. They were like there's going to be some drama between MUW and the Air Force and they were like this party's quite boring. I think we'll leave To our town's credit. I was glad to hear that. Actually I don't watch that show, don't care to. But my point being you can't rebrand a town. Ok, a town is what it is and if you're going to rebrand a town, it needs to be on what is unique to us. As I've said from episode one, it's that river down there that nobody talks about.
Speaker 1Well, I mean, the people are unique too. This is a really and this is somebody who lives in Starkville. I love this town, columbus, really, and this is somebody who lives in Starkville. I love this town, columbus, I love Columbus, love the people of Columbus. There is something that when you're in Columbus, there's no other place like it and it's one of my favorite places in the world because of it, and you can brand around that and you can brand around what's already there without having to augment it, without having to oversell the W. The W is the W and the W is great. Columbus is Columbus and Columbus is great. The friendly city Heck. Even some of the idiosyncrasies of Columbus that don't always air quotes here play positive in the media. As Stephen would say, make Columbus what it is and it's great.
Speaker 1It's a great place and I love it.
Speaker 4We have fun.
Speaker 1And I think that you can lean into it. Now I want to transition here into the council portion of this. Some of their answers were better than others.
Speaker 4Yeah.
Speaker 1But they showed up. All of them that showed up were winners because they did. They answered the questions, they told their truth, they stayed out of the mud. They didn't attack their opponents. They came up there for a forum and they acted like it was a forum. Leroy and Stephen acted like it was a water balloon fight.
Speaker 4That's a polite way of putting it.
Speaker 1Yeah, Well or you know throwing, you know we've got throwing midgets at darts or darts at midgets or whatever. We had those kinds of references, midgets or whatever. We had those kinds of references in the council. Part of this you didn't have that. You had people getting up there saying what they had to say and even with that, I think that there were two candidates that and I'm not saying that that the others, that the others did poorly at all. I'm not. I'm not insulting them at all. I'm not downplaying them showing up and talking at all. I'm not. I'm not insulting them at all. I'm not downplaying them showing up and talking at all, or what they had to say or articulating their visions.
Speaker 1What I'm saying is there's two that I felt like did that, uh stood out in doing that, Okay, and one I think was Roderick Smith.
Speaker 4Yes.
Speaker 1One of the younger guys up there. He got up there and he was very clearly proud of his city. He was very clearly ready to do this. And then the other one was Gary Jefferson in Ward 5, roderick Smith in Ward 2, gary Jefferson in Ward 5. I think they both spoke very well for themselves. I was particularly pleased with Roderick's answer to why he's proud of Columbus. You know, I see my preschool teachers in the grocery store. They've seen me grow up. They're proud of me. I'm proud. So I'm proud of that.
Speaker 1He talks about community policing and he does it in effective ways of how officers can get into the neighborhoods and build that trust back again with the community. On the other hand you had Gary Jefferson, who a lot of talk was about blight and about cleaning up the city and we keep doing that. But Gary Jefferson acknowledged that there was a blight elimination program ongoing in Columbus and he kind of understood how it worked and that was impressive. He also, I think, spoke well for himself on his experience as a citizen, on his sort of view of what leadership would be on the council, and I thought he did a particularly good job.
Speaker 1My favorite answer from him also was for the why are you proud of being from Columbus or living in Columbus, or what about Columbus makes you proud? And he talked about coming from nothing and now he's got two businesses. He didn't think he could do that anywhere else in the world and I really thought that that stuck out. That resonates. Of course, we've got the two big losers from the council side, so let's talk about that a little bit big losers from the council side.
Speaker 4So let's talk about that a little bit. Well, just real quick to piggyback. I just want to say that you are correct in that you had all this noise, and then these two absolute gentlemen just step out there, and it was just such a. It was refreshing to just have a quiet voice in the room that was focused on the issues at hand. But yeah, to those who do not show, I have nothing really good to say about that, because the reality is, if you want to serve in a public position and you're not willing to speak publicly, or you've got a canker sore and can't make it, or whatever your excuse is, I've got a big dadgum problem with that, and so I want to support all of these candidates, but I cannot support the ones who did not make it, who are oh yeah, you know, Councilman Mickens in.
Speaker 1Ward 2 and one of his Democratic opponents, Ms Shee Shee O'Neill. She didn't show either.
Speaker 4Do you think maybe there's like some kind of gag order because of the courts where they could?
Speaker 1well, I don't know.
Important Message
Leroy Brooks and Stephen Jones Interview
Speaker 4I mean, roger was there and they're not fighting their their campaign in the battle of public opinion. They're they're fighting in the courtroom, which I think is pathetic. You've been listening to between the headlines with zach and david and we'll be right. Let me say a quick shout out to this sponsor. Do you need a space for your next event? The 7th Street Center has just what you're looking for. We can accommodate groups of any size. Call today 928-255-7836 to reserve your space. Do you have knee pain, muscle weakness, swelling or cold feet? Call King Associates Cardiology for an appointment today at 662-368-1169. King Associates Cardiology we care and it shows All right. So that's that. And now what everybody's been waiting for. We talk to the big guys, the stars themselves. I thank you both for being in the studio today. And Zach, take it away.
Speaker 1We're joined today by the Democratic mayoral candidates, ward 5 Councilman Stephen Jones and District 5, lowndes County Supervisor Leroy Brooks. Appreciate y'all coming on the show today, certainly. Thank you for inviting me. And first thing I want to ask you guys and answer in any order you like last night was quite a spirited Democratic candidate forum. You two tied up on lots of issues. How do you think it went for you?
Speaker 7Well, I mean, I think it went pretty good. Um, you know we're going to keep to the, to the um, to the subjects you know today and and hopefully people can see our plan. Okay, on what we're what we're about all right.
Speaker 1What about you, mr brooks? How do you think last?
Speaker 6night. I feel great. You know I'm always open to forums, debates, um. I listen to remarks from people afterward from across the spectrum and I use that as kind of a judgment in terms of what happened. So just based on some of those remarks, I feel real good. I think there was some criticism about the way it was structured, but nevertheless it's a hit and miss proposition. So all in all, I'm good, okay, all right.
Speaker 1Well, staying with you, mr Brooks. What do you think, I guess, are the one or two primary ways where you stand out here as a candidate for?
Speaker 6mayor. Well, I think one of the things is I've been around a long time. People know me, whether they like me or not. I know some have been critical of tenure, but with tenure come experience. But I've been more active. I've got a lot of name recognition and I think I've got the practical and academic background to address some issues. I'm data-orientated, I'm very methodical about what I do and I think those are the things that differentiate me from Councilman Jones is, again, name recognition. I have a history and I know there are a certain group of people in different ages that may not understand the historical role I've played in effecting some change in the community and really don't have time to try and explain it all. But I think the thing is I know a lot of people, I have a vast network and so I think those are the things that people are looking at in terms of the difference as candidates.
Speaker 1Is that the training, training, the knowledge and the experience well, I want to drill down on a couple of points you made there, if you don't mind. Uh one, uh you talked about.
Speaker 1With age comes wisdom yes uh, mr jones last night called you, oh right. Secondly, do you feel like the message of I've done a lot over time, you over time. You can see my footprints in the park, you can see my footprints in the street. Do you think that that is resonating with today's voters? Because, I mean, last night there seemed to be a mixed reaction to that. Do you feel like that is resonating with voters the way that you know?
Speaker 6Well, I think it is and that's the reason I've continued to say that. But then I'm still active. It's not like I've been there a long time and said on my laurels I'm still involved. I'm still involved in the community. You had a mixed reaction because you had a mixed group, you had a different generation and certainly I think it's safe to say that there is a certain age group that's going to be more aligned with Councilman Jones, because that's just the nature of the beast. But I think when you begin to look across the spectrum of what has been going on my role as a member of the Board of Supervisors, the things that we have accomplished, it's going to have to play that. I was a part of that. Now I didn't.
Speaker 1Right. But I mean, are you forfeiting young voters Cause it sounds like you said certain, oh no, you know you know I go in these stores Walmart, I go in as I move around.
Speaker 6Um, there are young voters that say, mr Lee, where are we going to support you? You know we were part of your youth organization, we know when you revitalized the park. So there is no one group that either one of us will go without getting some of the votes. Certainly I'll get my portion of young voters and I'm not conceding Whatever you call young voters. I don't know. You know the 40s, 50s. I'm not willing to concede that to Councilman Jones because of the input that I've gotten as I've moved around to support the people that are working for me. So I'm not willing to concede anything. You know he again, he will have his select group, I'll have mine. But I think when you add them all up together across the spectrum, I'm going to have enough votes across gender age race to win this Democratic nomination. So that's the way I feel.
Speaker 1All right. Well, mr Jones, first differentiating yourself, how do you feel like you stand out in this race against Mr Brooks?
Speaker 7Well, I feel like we've been doing the work and I have a plan. I mean, we still hadn't heard his plan, you know. Neither have we heard. You know, he say he has a lot of experience but it's too long to name. But people want him to name it and he still hasn't named it. They've been calling for him to name what you've done, but it still hasn't been named. Just a minute ago he said it's too long to name.
Speaker 1Okay.
Speaker 7So you know, I think we've been doing the work, we have a plan and we're going to stick to that plan.
Speaker 1All right, so to turn that back to you. So what have you done and what is the plan?
Speaker 7I gave you a plan at the exchange, the five point plan. You know safety, we're working on infrastructure. We park and recreation. We invested in our parks where they pulled out from us, but we continue to invest. And then when the group came they said it was a good investment. You know cause it takes County and the and the city to work together to be able to, uh, to give our kids what they need, um water shedding, which is part of infrastructure. Uh, we invested in the police department. We've given them what they need.
Speaker 7Um, of course you know they need more people, but the cameras help that you know they're short on police everywhere, so we're going to continue to invest in the things that we need to invest and create jobs where we can create jobs with the amphitheater, we're going to continue to grow Okay.
Speaker 1I want to talk about the amphitheater in a second, but you mentioned your five point plan in exchange. Yes, and I'm not trying to needle you here, but some of that sounded really familiar.
Speaker 7Yeah.
Speaker 1You had city planner, the comprehensive plan, the org chart. These are things that the current administration pitched over the past four years and you voted against at different times. So, why now and why yours? And why wasn't it good enough at the time that?
Speaker 7Mayor Gaskin was, as I explained to you at the club, it was all about the dollars. You know you can't create 10 things at one time. You know you have to take a step and follow those things. What was important to us was getting a grant writer so we can start getting grants.
Speaker 1Okay, well, that explains the planner. But what about the org chart? I mean, the org chart was something that you guys dismissed with prejudice. We do have an org chart?
Speaker 7No, we didn't. We do have an org chart. Right, we have an org chart. We may need to restructure it a little bit, but we do have an org chart no-transcript. So it's always a you have to work hand in hand, and that's what the mayor role is is to communicate with the council, and then we come to agreements, and I think that's where I'll be at.
Speaker 1Okay, mr Brooks to his question what is the plan?
Speaker 6Well, you know and again, I'm very methodical, I'm data-orientated. Not being in city government, I would certainly have to come in and make an assessment of what works and what not works. I've said I'll take 60 days, meet with the council. The department has to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses, the financial need, and see whether they are moving in the same direction, see whether the right people are in the right place. Sometimes you have to shift people around, so I don't think you can go into any new environment without understanding what you're going to go into. Is that? Certainly the big issue is always finances. Now I keep hearing we're in great financial shape. Councilman Stewart said last night we don't have any money and so if you don't have money it's hard to do things. But more importantly one of the key proponents of anything you can have all the resources in the world If you don't have leadership that know how to manage and move things forward. You just got resources.
Speaker 6There has been no one on that city council that has stepped out and taken the leadership role. It's been a continuous 42 vote on a lot of things. There were some unanimous votes. A continuous 42 vote on a lot of things. There were some unanimous votes there were, you know. So my argument is if Councilman Jones wanted to do these things, he certainly had three other votes. He had three other votes to start an annexation plan. That didn't work. They had three other votes to pass redistricting with no public hearing. So they've shown that they have the votes when they want to have them. So leadership would have suggested. You know I'm going to step out. I've got three votes and I'm going to start these things right now and that has not happened.
Speaker 6But I think more important is it's not all about the tangible things. Sometimes there is a general attitude in this community that city government is dysfunctional and people have lost faith. And it's not the press portraying them in a negative light. It's a reality when you have council members that browbeat employees in public, when you have council members that you know just doing a lot of things illegal and coercing with the law. So it's not a perception, it's a reality. Until there are some changes in City Hall, there will not be faith in this community to move forward. So it doesn't matter about a four-point plan, a five-point plan. It doesn't matter about a four-point plan, a five-point plan.
Speaker 1People are looking for a change, a new beginning because, from what they're looking at right now, they're not satisfied with it. Okay, well, I want to drill down on that a little bit, because you have said since the beginning of your campaign that you're going to have that 60 days where you're going to evaluate departments. And you've said that, yes, but the other side of your argument, very often in the same speeches, you've said when I walk into City Hall, the only thing you're going to have to tell me is where the bathroom is, because that's the only thing I'm not going to know. So how do you reconcile the need to talk with department heads before you lay out a point plan and all I need to know is where heads before you lay out a point plan, and all I need to know is where the bathroom is. How do you reconcile those two things?
Speaker 6Well, you know, and I've said to a number of people. I said, look, I was just joking. I said when you're old and on a diuretic, you have to know where the bathroom is. And so that was just a joke.
Speaker 6I understand better than anybody that city government is different than county government, but I also understand the mythology in moving forward. No one can just walk in there. Even as councilman a joan becomes the mayor, you're going to have a different city council and so you've got to sit down and understand where you want to go. You've got to bring people together, understand what it is they want to do and how you bring that in sync. So no, the reality of it is it will take a little time. I'd be crazy to walk in there and start doing things recognizing. I need to understand a few things, but the thing that I bring is that I bring leadership. I bring an understanding of government. I bring the knowledge of networking and knowing people. So that's what I bring to the table. The thing about the bathroom was just Well, I mean, that's just what you said I was going to the substance of it.
Speaker 6You said you would be ready to do one when you walked in but I need 60 days to review things, and so that's what I was trying to get you to recognize Well, you know and I did say that and again is that when I walk in, I walk in as a person with some sense of confidence that I have an understanding of people and how to bring them together, and so that will be my major focus is how do we bring people not just within city government. You've got to engage people in the community. People in the community have felt left out of this administration, and so you've got to bring people to the table to get their views businessmen, lay people, and let's talk about how you see Columbus, and so that's what I'm interested in doing.
Speaker 1All right, would you like to respond to any of that?
Speaker 7Well, I mean he says he has the connection, the 41 years. But look at Columbus over the past 41 years. I mean that's happened under his watch. If he has all these connections in Washington and Jackson, then why do we still have Kurt McGee over there in our ward? Those connections should have been used. Then you don't have to be the mayor. You know it's in his district. It's a number of things that need to be done that he could have helped with. You know, if he has all these connections and it hasn't worked.
Speaker 6May I rebut that? Yeah, you know, and I think that's a misleading kind of statement. I think the mayor and city council are real particular about this jurisdiction. I think there has been an effort over the years where we have had a good relationship with the mayor and city council is we just haven't had with this one. You know, the last full meeting I went to, one of the council members got up and browbeated one of the other board members for no reason and so that's been kind of the relationship you know that we've had. We take care of those things in our jurisdiction.
Speaker 6So to suggest to people I've been there 41 years and I didn't do anything with the city. I was one of the first supervisors to get a community center built when Sam Scott was closed years ago. We had I got $100,000 revenue sharing. That was a discretionary fund. Is I built a new building over there, that walking track, that pavilion is I did a lot of paving things that were discretionary, that I didn't have to do. But is the city council has been protective. I can't walk into Ward 5 without Councilman Jones saying, well, let's work together and that hadn't happened.
Speaker 6So to try and diminish 41 years of not doing stuff in the city. It was not my job, you know. I can say for the past eight years I don't see much of what he's done and I'm not being critical of him. But if we're going to put the record out there is that. But then the other thing is just not tangible things. You try and empower people to do things. I've had a lot of conversation last night about youth. For a long time had a youth organization. We did things, we worked with kids. So those things are out there. I was instrumental years ago in starting the Big Brothers, Big Sisters. So the record is there of things I've done. And again, it's misleading to say, well, you didn't do it in the city because you got a mayor and city council.
Speaker 7Well, people do pay taxes in the city and in the county. So some of those county dollars should be spent in the city.
Speaker 6And they are.
Speaker 7But since I've been up there eight years, I think me and Mr Brooks probably have talked about two or three times, so it's not like he's reached out to me to say let's work together. This is in my ward, it's in his ward, it's in Pierre's ward. We all should be working together and we're all African-Americans, so we definitely should be sitting down working together for what's best. But you can look out in his areas in Crawford. You know what's been going on out there. That's not my area, artesia, where you look out in.
Speaker 6Artesia, you'll see a lot of things happen. You look out through West Lounds, you'll see the industrial park. So, whether I reached out to you or not, if you were interested in working something together, I think that I reached out to all you council members when we got that offer money to suggest to you all let's take some of this money and set aside, try and develop an affordable housing plan. It's been a challenge to try and work with y'all. Now I will say this is that I mean we have not been antagonistic or confrontational since you've been in office. You know we see each other, we speak. Over the years I've talked more to Mickens Councilman Beard. I helped raise money for him. Last time he came by my office I said I'd like to mentor you. He said no, you're too hard, you know. So I didn't feel compelled to jump over.
Speaker 6In city business is to try and dictate to you all. This goes both ways. But the reality of it is part of the money that we set aside for millage for roads. City get a part of it. So there is a misnomer about the city not working and the county not working together. Now you suggested last night that the only time we worked together was when it was storm. We sent four boom trucks in for a week and it wasn't a storm to help pick up the trash. We've got a number of interlocal agreements that we work together on. So that's a misnomer that we don't work together. We do, and I think the public understand it and I think people. We fund the library, we do a number of things. That's in the city.
Speaker 7Yeah, speaking of the opera money, we did set aside money for the Blight program, but they pulled their money back. The five hundred thousand dollars. We did and the county has so much money that he stated last night, why would y'all need that money back then?
Speaker 6Well, because after you all got money for Blight yourself and then it took so long for y'all to do anything and even now you've had the money for a while and I understand the bureaucracy but is when you all got the first three million, we didn't feel it was necessary to give our money to you all. But I took the lead to initially do that because I had talked to Mr Irby. So at the time when y'all did not have as much money, we were committed.
Speaker 1And a point of note here, that deal was made. The city has since gotten $6 million in federal money for the Blight program and then the county pulled out after the first $3 million. That's my understanding, right? Yeah, that was, but they still pulled out after the first three million, that's that's my understanding, right?
Speaker 7yeah, that was, but they still pulled out they did, and they still took their money back.
Speaker 1But we still have blighted program houses in columbus so it still could be used well let me change gears here, because one of the things that has been a push point in your campaign, especially recently, is finishing the amphitheater. That's halfway done. You have been opposed to using it for local events while more money is sought, and now you're saying, if I'm elected, it's going to be finished by the end of the year. Yes.
Speaker 1And you've also talked about using the capital fund. You've talked about borrowing, you've talked about trying to find a blend or a combination of those two things. So I guess, how do you arrive at that, and especially the borrowing part? Is that something that concerns you at all, that y'all would potentially borrow? Or you would potentially recommend borrowing money to finish the amphitheater.
Speaker 7And why the amphitheater? Because we need to finish it and people want to see it finished and it's going to bring in two percent tax. That will fund other things. No, it doesn't bother me. I said we need to look at all options. We're finishing it, we could take money from the general fund and finish it. We could take money from, we could go approach the CVB. They're going to increase in two% taxes once it's finished. So there's a number of ways that I plan to sit down with our CFO and I had sat down with him and he told me that you know we have the money Right. So it's a combination of things. You can't just look at one thing and say we're going to take it all out of this.
Speaker 1Well, your CFO? To be clear what your CFO said, he said, yes, we have the money Right, but he also said he didn't think it was responsible to spend it that way. He didn't.
Speaker 7he did not say that in a private conversation, though he said that he said in a public meeting he said that, but in a private conversation that's not what he said to me he said he thought that we could finish it and and that we had the money to finish it. So we could finish it and and then we had the money to finish it, so we just have to figure out how we want to finish it, and we will finish it.
Speaker 4Would it be a concern that the coffers would be so low that money that would be going toward this amphitheater would be taken away from the roads that everyone keeps complaining about?
Speaker 7no, because the road, the roads is not, uh, what we use that money for to pay, but you.
Speaker 4But you said general fund though.
Speaker 7Yeah, but that's the other money that we use to pay doesn't come from general fund, it comes from the use tax.
Speaker 1Okay so, but again to his point. Say you take it out of the general fund, that's over 60%, or I'm sorry, the capital fund, not the general fund, but that's over 60% of what y'all.
Speaker 7Well, I certainly didn't say take it all from the general fund. I said, come up with a plan to finish it All right, so y'all got $30 million of debt though. So if you blend that with borrowing, you add to that and we have some debt that will be falling off. That's what I said Take a look at what's falling off, one way that we're going to be able to pay for it. It's a combination and figuring out that combination and what works best for the city.
Speaker 1Okay, mr Brooks, you are against prioritizing the amphitheater. You've said it over and over again. Why in your mind is Mr Jones' plan wrongheaded in this?
Speaker 6regard. Well, because it's not a plan. He has said if I'm mayor, I'm completed it in six months. But yet he's sitting here saying, well, we got to figure out how we're going to get the money. And that's the problem from the very beginning. Is they built that anticipating, I guess, money from the legislature? The city has not put any of their money into that, and so if you're going to build a house, I think you would have at least know where the money is going to come from before you start building the house. So you can't bank on politics, because it changes. The other thing we've got to be very cognizant of in this world we're in today, with everything happening in Washington, we don't know whether you know how grants are going to roll down. We don't know whether you know how grants are going to roll down. We don't know the impact it's going to have on city government, state government. So we have to be very methodical about how we spend money. The CVB is already doling out $400,000 to the city, $300,000 to the county, $250,000 to the link. So they're not going to have. It's not much money you can go and get from them when they're trying to do some other things to promote tourism I went down there the other day is that it looks good.
Speaker 6Okay, it's a good looking thing. You have to question where you're going to park. There's a host of things. It's not going to generate a lot of money. I mean, you know it's not going to generate a lot of income back to the city, you know. So my thing is, in the scheme of things, is, you know, is crime more important? What's more important than the amphitheater? But I'm saying is, in the scheme of things, it would not be my number one priority.
Speaker 1Okay, well, one thing that you suggested in the debate you I don't know how casually you were suggesting this or how serious you were about it, but trying to offload the amphitheater to a private buyer or leaser who's going to buy a half-done amphitheater.
Speaker 6I don't know, but I'm saying that's one of the options we need to explore, whether someone would want to come in there and look at that, and it's predicated on the very notion that it's. Obviously the city doesn't have all the money right now. There are a number of people in this community that have no idea that the amphitheater is out there.
Speaker 6Now we go and complete the amphitheater tomorrow and we start having activities All of a sudden. Now we've got to have more police protection. You're going to have people drinking, so you're going to have to have law enforcement. We already limited and I'm sure they can work this thing out, but the amphitheater is just not something right now at the top of my list and people talk about crime. I want to look at that, but again, I think I have a local legislative delegation will be more receptive to trying to work with them, because they are really not tying in with the group over there now.
Speaker 7As he stated, I am in municipal government now, so I do know, and he doesn't know because he's not there. So I do know the plan that we have and we do look at the crime. We're focusing on that. We're adding cameras. We've we've ordered 21 cameras, which is a big deal, because now we're able to see around the city and police is able to see what is going on in the city. So that's going to help better than than having, you know, more officers right now, because it's hard, it's hard. People don't want to be police. Everybody is short. Every municipality, every city, state, you know everybody is short on police. So these are the things.
Speaker 1Technology is the only way that you're going to advance your police department right now, and I have one more question about the amphitheater and I want to move on to something else. You have suggested that, and the original plan was, once we get this finished, we're going to let an outfit run it Red Mountain or maybe someone else who can plan events there. But how do you know that that's even still a possibility, or any of those types of companies are even still at the table for something that would be this size?
Speaker 7Because I've talked to Kevin, our city engineer, and he's talked to them. They say they are interested. They are interested, yes, once we finish it.
Speaker 1Now, that was something that you were talking about. Let's get them here, let's talk about it. So that seemed to be. Y'all didn't seem to be quite sure if they were still at the table. You're saying now that they're still at the table.
Speaker 7Yeah, I talked to him a couple of days ago. They're still at the table. They actually told us to look at LaGrange, georgia, which is very similar to Columbus, and they do real well there, and Red Mountain does manage that one no-transcript.
Speaker 1You're talking about portraying a different image of the city and you're talking about leveraging the mayor's office to get the media to participate in that.
Speaker 7No, I never said leverage the mayor's office. I said we have to put up a better image ourselves. I said, and as I stated last night, some of our image is self-inflicted Right, some of it is created by the uh, the media.
Speaker 1What part of it is created by the media. What part of it is self-inflicted?
Speaker 7at the exchange club. When stuff happens in starkville, y'all might say october hall county. If something happens in columbus, you might say lounge, can I mean? If it happens in lounge county, you'll put it on the columbus uh, and even as as y'all portray it on the front page, or even in, um, like the shootings that happen in starkville, y'all had it on the uh back pages of the newspaper. Uh, page six, uh, probably about this big. But if it was in Columbus you would have had it on the front page.
Speaker 1You know so a lot of stuff like that. We have a Starkville edition of the paper that different things go on the front of. Starkville and Columbus, depending on you know where it happens.
Speaker 7But we've seen it over the years, the way that the media portrays it, and not just you all, I mean even the packet. You know some years the way that the media portrays it, and not just you all, I mean even the packet. You know some of the stuff that they write um.
Speaker 1So we have to all buy in and we all have to put a positive image of our city out there. Okay, say you're the mayor and say it's one of these self-inflicted things that you're talking about, and I'm talking to you and I'm asking you questions about it. Now, obviously, one of your priorities is to project a positive image of the city, and I understand that that's a given and I understand why you would want to do that. And I asked you this at exchange too Where's the line between the prioritizing hey, we want to portray a positive image right here and being transparent about the dirty truth of something that may not be so great.
Speaker 7You can always be transparent. I mean, if something happened, it happens. I'm just saying portray it the same way across the table. You know, we all should be treated equally. Um, I'm not asking you to hide anything yeah you know, put it out there, let the people see it. I'm not opposed to transparency, but it's still always ways that can be and hopefully, as we get a PR person, that PR person will put it out there the way that we want to put it out there.
Speaker 1Okay, and my last question that I have for you and have one of similar weight for you, mr Brooks, there is a belief out there that I mean I know that the former mayor, mayor Robert Smith, is supporting. There is a belief, there is a concern out there that you know you may be Robert 2.0. So how do you respond to that and certainly not insulting Mayor Smith, he's his own man, he's his own administration, but I'm assuming that you would want to be as well how do you address the concern that one you would be Robert 2.0? And how do you differentiate yourself from the former mayor?
Speaker 7Well, I mean, the people can see that you know I don't know where that story came from Just because I talked to Robert, or just because we're associates or we work together that you know he's controlling me. I don't know how that is. I guess that was put out there just to scare people. But I've always been my own person, even when Robert was in office. I mean, you would call me and I would say whatever was on my mind.
Speaker 1I mean, y'all didn't always get along.
Speaker 7Exactly so. Nobody controls me not Robert, not Mr Brooks, not anybody. You know, I'm going to speak my mind and I'm going to say what's on my mind and I'm going to be my own person and I'm going to do what's best for all the citizens of Columbus, Whether it be something that you may like, or something that you know he may not like, or something that Mr Brooks may not like. If I feel that it's best for the citizens of Columbus, then that's what I'm going to do.
Speaker 1My job would be to represent all the people, whether you're Republican or whether you're Democrat, whether you're black, whether you're white, I will represent the people of Columbus to the best of my ability, and, mr Brooks, for you. Some of what you've said is that you're wanting to have a big tent. So, black, white, republican, democrat, just like he said. You've said it on the front end. It seems that you've made considerable headway, capturing some white support, some Republican support, and that has caused at least some of not Mr Jones directly doing it, but some of his surrogates, councilman Mickens among them. How do you respond to concerns or how do you deal with the issue of if someone were to say well, you're, you know what you are in this race is the white citizens black candidate.
Speaker 6You know and I hear that I laugh. I think that I've established myself very well over the years. I don't think black people that have some stature and influence even question my character. I think you know it's a political ploy. Look, I'm running for office. Is white folks are going to have to vote for somebody. You know there's only one Republican Ward, so if they want to participate they got to participate in the mayor's election. So I'm reaching out to everyone because what they are telling me is they've been left out of this administration. There have been a consistent 4-2 vote. It's been almost like a little small mafia that we're running.
Speaker 6This is that there are people that refer to it as chocolate city because of the way that they've managed this, and I think that's one of the reasons they're supporting me, because they know I can reach across the aisle, they know that they'll have room at the table. And what I've said to those whites that have contributed to my campaign contribution doesn't mean control. That's one thing people know, whether they like me or not. I'm my own man, I'll speak up and I am the person that can bring people to the table. And I am the person that can bring people to the table is to take the position that we don't care what whites say because we've got these majority black wards. That's insane and that's what has happened. And so now here's an opportunity to bring people to the middle of the road. I've met with black ministers, white ministers. I've met with white businessmen, black businessmen that are supporting me because they understand they value. There are a few people that want to diminish my tenure and experience, but they value that. They know what I've done, they know the people that I know. So, yes, I don't care, jew Gentile, white, black, republican Democrat, I want your vote because I want to win this. And as for it, and I don't care, jew Gentile, white, black, republican Democrat, I want your vote because I want to win this. And I don't think there's any black person in this town would characterize me as a sellout.
Speaker 6And I've said in public I mean I'm a very Afrocentric black man, but I don't mean I discriminate against white folks and I think that's been the problem of city hall. And they talk about the perception. The perception is not so much about people killing everybody, it's about the seemingly ineptitude of managing city government. You know, when you got council members that browbeat employees in public or you got a city council member that is so nose remorseful for all the thing he does. Nobody has stepped out as a leader over there.
Speaker 6It's been a four-two vote. You know, we're in charge, we're going to run this, and the reason I find such disdain for that? Because I've had to live under that kind of rule at the board of supervisors, where three whites didn't give a damn. Can I say that about what the others thought? I am for equality and justice, black or white. Years ago, when a bunch of whites were fired, I testified in court for all of them because it wasn't done right. So I don't color code it. Yes, I want white votes. So if his camp and some of his surrogates are trying to promote that out there, that's a thud, that's a bump. I'm looking to get as many white votes, hispanic votes, as I can, and I'll stand on top of this building and say I'm proud of that.
Speaker 7Well, first of all, I don't have any surrogates. You know, people speak what they want to speak and, as he talked about City Hall, none of that stuff has referred to me. I've never been one that you know discriminated against anybody. When I was first elected, the people over here on South Side said we're glad to have you because you came over here and done some work and we hadn't had anything done over here in a while, so it's never been a four to vote because of that. The one thing that we all have in common is that the current mayor that we had have is not chosen to work with the council. So that's been the problem. It's all about communication and getting people to work with you. That's why because he doesn't communicate with us, that's why sometimes you end up with a 4-2 vote because he does not communicate and try to get whatever votes that he needs.
Speaker 6Let me say this I'm not criticizing Councilman Jones in any way. All I'm saying is he, nor anyone over there, has not stepped out in a leadership role and say we're going in the wrong direction. He was part of promoting annexation. He was part of the redistricting plan. That was the worst gerrymandered map I've ever seen. And then they would not hold a public hearing to let people see where they were. And when they get their cars, they all surprised. That's what I'm talking about. He didn't step out and say Councilman Beer, you're embarrassing us. He has not stepped out on a leadership role, he's just gone along to get along, to maintain those votes. I'm not like that. I've stepped out and I've said what I had to say, and so that's the criticism I'm loving and that's the reason I'm getting white support, because they feel left out, you know.
Speaker 6And let me say one other thing about crime is that you do need boots on the ground when you have people continually leaving from the police department. Somebody needs to ask the question why. Somebody needs to explain why are people exodus, people that were brought in from other places? They left, you know. So they don't talk about the minimum amount of policemen they have on the street. They hide that discussion. The other thing is there needs to be a greater effort for the sheriff and police chief to sit down, not just when something happens, but as a part of law enforcement operation, that we're going to work together, and so.
Speaker 6Those are the things people are complaining about. But, more importantly, it's just a sheer lack of leadership, not to say they're all bad guys, it's just no leadership. And so you know the question I hear why should we promote someone to a high position when he has not shown that he can handle this? The good book says to you be a rule of few things, you'd be faithful over a few things. I'll make you rule over many. And again. So again, I exemplify, I think, what the community want. I believe I'm going to win this. I believe I'm going to win with white votes. Republicans, because they're ready to move in a different direction, because they have given this council the opportunity and they have not really moved the city forward.
Speaker 7Okay, first of all, the mayor is the leader of the city. He runs the day to day. So for me to step on. At one point Mr Brooke was saying we're not working with the mayor and we're not uh, you know listening to the mayor and and working his plan, but when he never said that the mayor is not listening to us. It's always the four black council. It's never been the problem of the mayor to communicate with the council and get what he needs done, so it's always been us. He never criticized none of them. Well, I need to rebut this.
Speaker 6If you all can, without the mayor's support, try annexation without the mayor's support, redistricting you don't need the mayor, You've got to vote. You all have done the things that you wanted to do and then you put it on the mayor. You've got to vote. You all have done the things that you wanted to do and then you put it on the mayor. You don't need the mayor to do anything. You've got four votes to do everything and so that's the deal. I don't know.
Speaker 6Y'all may talk and laugh and drink coffee every day, but from the public perception, you have been the one that put it on the mayor. No, I haven't criticized the mayor because you all in charge, you all like to advocate a strong council and when you do something good you want praise, but when you do stuff bad, it ain't me. If y'all had a wanted to move forward on that amphitheater, you had the vote, so you've had the votes to do whatever you wanted to. Y'all have been into power play over there. You and others have allowed the vice mayor to just go crazy, browbeating people and doing everything. You all run city hall. It's a strong council, weak mayor, so you can't put it on the mayor. I don't know what the mayor's been doing. I know what y'all have been doing.
Speaker 7We don't run city hall. We run the council, but we don't run City Hall. The mayor runs City Hall. But speaking of redistricting, if you go back and you look at their redistricting, look at their areas on what they did when they redistricted. They had one meeting early one morning that nobody got to attend and people didn't know where they needed to vote on their election. So they did the exact same thing that we did. They just did it in a different way. We had a public hearing. We had a number of meetings.
Speaker 6We had a number of meetings. We adhere to the not only the law but the spirit of the law. But then when you go back and look at the city redistricting, what y'all tried to do is minimize white votes. You shift them and tangle them all up and move them from Ward 5 to Ward 1. Ward 1 was already a heavy majority black district and you'd carry it up to about 80 percent, I mean. And so who?
Speaker 7does that. We put more white people in Ward 1 now than there's ever been. That's my whole point, right? That's my whole point.
Speaker 6Okay, is what you tried to do? You tried to diminish the two white wards and and pack the other one. No, we, no, we did not. I went off the recommendation, I went off the recommendation of.
Speaker 7I didn't change anything on my ward. Personally, I went from the very first start. I did not change anything that he recommended. Well, there were people on your council that did you talk about transparency? It was transparent.
Speaker 6We know about your councilman going up to Oxford and creating the smallest ward. I mean, let's be honest, see one of the advantages I have that other people may not have. I'm part of this African-American community that you talk about. I know what's going on. You know you talk about. You want to dispel the notion of Robert. Why is he on the school board and light and water board? He was out campaigning with you. We all know the influence he's had on you and continue to have. You know an interesting thing I thought last night you talk about.
Speaker 7Just because somebody's out campaigning with me, that don't mean that they have an influence over me.
Speaker 6Well, if he's out campaigning with you and donating to your campaign, he's got influence.
Speaker 7But the black community knows that. Okay. But you turn around and say the same thing Harry donated to your campaign. No, harry had not donated a penny.
Speaker 6Meghan said that that was a lie and I didn't feel the need to dignify it and the packet is donated to you also.
Speaker 7We'll find out on March 24th. You'll find out on March 24th who's donating it.
Speaker 1This has been a very spirited discussion.
Speaker 4I appreciate both of you, gentlemen.
Speaker 6That's what we do when we come together.
Speaker 1That's right I appreciate both of you, gentlemen, for joining us today and speaking to the voters. Thank you all very much this has been Between to you, gentlemen for joining us today and speaking to the voters.
Speaker 7Thank you all very much. Uh, this been between the headlines, uh, and I do have a question for david. Uh will we see any republican debates, since you're the chair?
Speaker 4there will be actually there will be a forum between the two uh candidates for ward six. So that is in the make. The other ones are unopposed, and so we won't be exhausting research and time in that regard. But I just want to take a moment to thank you, fine gentlemen, for being here. It takes a lot of testicular fortitude to put yourself out there and to just be a public servant and then to air it out, to put it out in the open, to talk about it and give the people of the city of Columbus the ability to make a choice based on what they've heard from the horse's mouth itself, not these rumors out there.
Speaker 4So kudos to you and to you for being on the program today You've been listening to Between the Headlines with Zach and David.
Speaker 4And that's what old people do. That is so again, I want to thank our listeners for joining in today. Please help us talk it up subscribe, rate and share, and I hope you'll join in the conversation If you want to follow up with us. Tips at cdispatchcom Again, tips at cdispatchcom. You can also follow me on Facebook or x at dchism00. You've been listening Between the Headlines, with Zach and David signing off from Catfish Alley Studio in historic downtown Columbus. Your host has been the king of curl and managing editor, Mr player, and my name is david chisholm. Until next time, keep it real and keep it friendly.
