Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. has never been one to take a challenge lightly.

Tuesday at the beginning of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting, Flaggs accepted a challenge from a water and sewer department employee to spend a day working with the crew.

“A young man that works with the water and sewer department had the audacity to tell me that I didn’t know what labor is, that I had never done any labor work,” Flaggs said. “So on March 20, in Vicksburg, Mississippi I’ll be a laborer. I’m going to show him that I’m physically fit and mentally able and intelligent enough to outdo him at whatever he does that day over eight hours.”

“Of course Mr. Mayfield and Mr. Willis I will not work for $8 an hour,” Flaggs joked. “I’ll do it for what I make now.”

The Mayor issued a challenge to other city employees following that moment of levity.

“I challenge anybody, IT department, anybody who wants me to come in and work, I’m not as dumb as I look,” Flaggs said. “I’m prepared to challenge anyone in the city at whatever they do.”

I look forward to working with that young man and I hope he has the biggest ditch out there, so I can show him how many shovels of dirt I can throw in there,” he said.

In addition to adopting the agendas from the Oct. 24, Nov. 3 and Nov. 10 meetings, the board ratified a request partially close one lane of Frontage Road and Clay Street from the Vicksburg National Military Park entrance to the Battlefield Inn for Run Thru History.

The mayor also thanked North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield for working with a committee on a comprehensive security plan that involves securing all city property. The plan is something the city didn’t have previously. It will involve camera and security systems that will help with the city’s insurance rating and protect city property.