Douglas seeks to set record straight, contests candidate Thomas’ comments

Recently published comments by a candidate for the Cairo city council drew the ire of the council’s finance committee chairman Monday night.

Cairo City Councilman James H. (Jimmy) Douglas, who chairs the council’s finance committee and is a Certified Public Accountant, took issue with recent comments attributed to District 5 candidate Emory Thomas Sr.

While discussing his candidacy, Thomas was quoted as saying, “I don’t feel like the council members are watching the city finances. Do they have experience to detect what they see? Are they looking at the budget? Are they balanced? Is it beneficial for the city, or is it beneficial for I?”

Douglas, who also is the former finance director for the cities of Cairo and Camilla, said Thomas’ comments were not accurate and he described the candidate as being badly misinformed.

Douglas noted that the city manager, Mayor Booker Gainor, Councilman Demario Byrden and city finance director Miriam Faircloth meet at a minimum of every other month to review the city’s financial status and budget comparisons.

“A lot of effort goes into city finances and we have numerous budget meetings,” Douglas said.

The veteran councilman said that Thomas’ assertions were “far fetched” and “not quite right.”

Douglas said that he was attempting to set the record straight so that newspaper readers would understand the facts and not be mislead by the comments of the city council candidate.

Thomas is challenging incumbent District 5 Councilman Jerry Cox in the Nov. 5 municipal election.

In other campaign related news, Councilman Douglas said that all candidates should be reminded that political signs are not allowed to be erected on city right-of-way or on utility poles.

“Political signs are expensive and if we see them on the right-of-way or on utility poles they will be picked up,” Douglas said.