Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said he’s not going behind closed doors to discuss complaints from citizens or city employees about the way he performs his duties.

“I’m an elected official and I won’t go into any executive session to talk about a grievance against me,” Flaggs told Aldermen Michael Mayfield and Willis Thompson at a Board of Mayor and Aldermen work session this week.

Flaggs’ comments were in response to news that Fire Chief Charles Atkins had filed a grievance against him with the city’s human resources department. Atkins said Monday afternoon he had withdrawn the complaint and declined to comment further.

Flaggs said the complaint involved his authority to appoint a committee to look at improvements to the Vicksburg Fire Department, including developing a five-year plan and improving the city’s fire rating by improving manpower and equipment.

Section 39 of the city charter gives the mayor authority to “appoint all regular or special committees of the board.”

Since taking office, Flaggs has appointed committees to oversee city spending, plan a capital improvements program, evaluate the city’s recreation programs and facilities, select a site for a proposed sports complex and examine the feasibility of lease-purchasing vehicles and equipment.

Under state law, complaints involving city employees can be discussed in closed or executive sessions where the public is excluded from watching the debate.

If Atkins has a complaint against him, Flaggs said, “then it would have be in open discussion.”

“You can complain, but the only people who can discipline me is the people at the ballot box, unless I break the law. If I break the law, there’s procedures where I can be removed from office, procedures where I can be disciplined by the state, but not a corporate person of the city.”

Since he’s appointed committees, he said, the only complaint he’s received involved including an alderman in the selection of committee members. Employees on the committees, he said, were uncomfortable with an alderman present “because they’re sitting there deliberating and making decisions in front of someone who’s going to have a vote and also their supervisor.”

Flaggs said he has made it a point to discuss his ideas with other city officials before presenting them to the board.

“I think it’s clear that I have the authority to do what I’m doing (with the fire department committee),” he said. “If he (Atkins) wants to challenge me about anything about me as mayor of the city of Vicksburg, I’m only going to discuss it in the public or I’m going to recuse myself, because I don’t think it’s fair to me to talk about my integrity or authority in a closed-door meeting.”