Tempers Flare Over Street Renaming - Jackson
Council Members Clash Over Honorary Street Renaming for Band Director
A proposal to honorarily rename part of Wood Street for band director Roger "Dr." Little devolved into accusations of lying between two Jackson City Council members before the item was pulled from the agenda.
At the council's regular meeting Sept. 10, Councilman Kenneth Stokes accused a fellow member, identified in meeting records as Councilman Griselle, of misrepresenting whether Little supported the renaming. "That's everyone out here up here is elected to vote and speak their own mind. And if this councilman saying that Dr. Little did not want the street name, he a damn lie. I talked to him and I saw him again," Stokes said. The exchange came amid a broader discussion on the honorary designation, which had already seen a failed amendment before tempers flared on the dais.
No vote was taken on the renaming. The council instead pulled the matter from the floor, with members indicating it should go to committee for further review before returning to the full body.
The public dispute over Little's wishes underscored tension among council members independent of the renaming's merits, drawing attention to how such honorary measures are handled once disagreements surface publicly.