Bailey: No. The Vicksburg Police Department is well equipped to protect and serve the City of Vicksburg. The City of Vicksburg already benefits from a dual protection in law enforcement. The Sheriff’s Department has jurisdiction and a responsibility to the City of Vicksburg already. To put an additional burden on the city’s local government makes no sense. The only problems that I perceive with the police department are a clear/defined job description and accountability of its personnel. The implementation of in-house training is needed in order to improve the quality of personnel, and help to clearly define each individual job description. To further improve the quality and effectiveness of personnel will be attained by holding personnel accountable for their actions and non-actions. Other than that, we have the manpower, technology, equipment and funds to adequately protect and serve the City of Vicksburg.

Beauman: Yes. I think that law enforcement is an area that is of utmost importance and carries with it huge financial burdens. Our officers need and must have the best equipment to work with. They are at risk every day and must be protected. With a merger of city and county law enforcement, there would be less duplication of services and would be more feasible in spending. There would also be less confusion on whom to call or dispatch.

Johnson: No! I am definitely opposed to eliminating the city police force. History has shown urban governments work much better than rural ones. No, let the county people keep their sheriff and constables. We want to maintain a superb and modern police force for Vicksburg.

Mosley: Disbanding is an inappropriate term. I think incorporation expansion is possible with stringent culpability and civil demands.

Question 6. Would you favor a countywide public recreation agency through combining separate operations?

Bailey: No. At this time the city cannot afford to take on any additional projects and/or responsibilities. The city has not provided adequate recreational activities, facilities, parks, equipment, maintenance and supervision for its own city residents. The only activities that city recreation provides is softball, baseball and a swimming pool. These activities are implemented only three and a half months out of the year. There is a two-room senior citizen center to provide recreational activities/entertainment for the entire city’s senior citizen population. There are 21 playgrounds listed on the city’s rolls as serving the general public and 17 of the 21 have outdated equipment (in some areas no equipment), overgrown lots, no regular maintenance, litter, and no supervision. The city has 10 brand new tennis courts that have no regular maintenance or activities. The city needs to focus on and building up our own recreation before trying to reach out to the county. A plan and vision is needed to improve the quality of services and life of the residents in Vicksburg. I have a vision and the right plan for enhancement of the city’s recreation.

Beauman: Yes, but only with the proper participation from both the city and county budgets. I also feel that the citizens of Vicksburg and Warren County would benefit if the school district’s athletic fields were included. (See 4, above.)

Johnson: Countywide recreation planning and facilities would be welcome, as long as the core activities remain within the corporate limits of Vicksburg and the facilities are primarily built in accord with the needs of the people of the city. We are the vast majority of the county. Therefore, we insist on deriving the greatest amount of benefits.

Mosley: It is economically logical to combine as many city and county services as possible.

Question 7. Vicksburg now has no written affirmative action plan for hiring and no written plan for minority set-asides in contracts for city business. Should Vicksburg have such plans? Why or why not?

Bailey: My term as alderwoman will foster better economic development. I seek only to preserve competition among businesses and regulate certain monopolies that may effect our economic condition. You can give it a title or name, I simply call it liberty. The right to live in a city of free enterprise, free from compulsory labor, irresponsible private power, arbitrary public authority and unregulated monopolies. In my opinion it is unreasonable to expect a business man/woman to produce what they cannot sell or laborers to be able to live without jobs, simply because a few businesses have become large enough to establish monopolies in their respected fields. This situation crushes and or absorbs competition, and it allows individuals to pursue their own interests without regard for the public welfare.

Beauman: I feel that the best (not necessarily the lowest) bid should be awarded any work done for the city. My job as an alderman would be to spend any funds in a responsible way. This can only be accomplished by proper planning beforehand and trying to remove “loopholes” that end up costing more than originally planned. There is room for minority set-asides, but there should be a percentage figure that could establish boundaries not to be exceeded just to award to minorities.

Johnson: Considering that Vicksburg now has a 60 percent black majority, there will probably be a great deal of confusion over determining what is meant by “minority” set-asides. The white minority already controls a disproportionate amount of the goods and services and the real capital, so we should be concerning ourselves with enfranchising the “majority” with special set-asides, business development grants and government support.

Mosley: Since we do not have an affirmative action plan, there is no need to have one.