Mayor David Starling said he did not make the comments that were attributed to him in a press release regarding the ribbon cutting for the Amtrak station renovations.
Starling continued by saying that The Herald needs to “fact check moving forward” with the information the newspaper is provided.
But Amtrak officials stand behind the press release, adding that the quotes included on behalf of Starling were submitted by the city.
“I would not stand before our community…and tell a blatant lie,” Starling said. “I want complete clarity and transparency as far as this mayor and this board of aldermen goes. We had a ribbon cutting last Monday. I won’t necessarily say I have a problem with our Yazoo Herald because The Herald is given information. But if you would just make fact checks moving forward.”
Starling was referring to the press release about the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the newly renovated Amtrak train station in downtown Yazoo City that was published in the previous edition of The Yazoo Herald. He took specific issue with his quotes included in the press release. The commentary includes:
“The City of Yazoo is excited about the plans for the revitalization of our city, with the most immediate focus being on our Main Street Revitalization Project, made possible through USDOT’s RAISE Grant program. Given its critical significance to our transportation infrastructure, the Amtrak Train Depot plays a key role in that revitalization plan,” said Mayor David “Mel” Starling, who also spoke at the event today. “Yazoo City envisions a city that is welcoming, inclusive, ADA-conscious, and safe for those who live here, as well as those who visit our city. The recent improvements to the Amtrak Station align with that vision.”
Starling said he did not make those comments.
“Amtrak sent a release that they wanted me to read,” Starling said, during Monday’s city council meeting. “I didn’t read it. I read portions of it. In what was printed in our newspaper…where it talks about what David Starling said in reference to the comments that were made about the RAISE grant, I did absolutely not. They were working on this well before we became elected officials. We do hope to continue our relationship with Amtrak because there are some things that we would like them to do. But let me be perfectly clear, what went on down there in the last few years had absolutely nothing to do with the RAISE grant.”
Starling also said he did not say that the city was “blooming,” as stated in the press release.
“We anticipate that the improvements will lead to an increase in travelers to our blooming city,” Starling said, according to the press release.
“I don’t think our city is blooming,” Starling said during Monday’s meeting. “And I know that the work they did had nothing to do with the RAISE grant. We just selected a consultant for the RAISE grant last week. I am setting the record straight. We appreciate Amtrak, but not once did I say this was made possible through the RAISE grant. Not once did I say this is a blooming city. We have a lot of work to do if we are going to bloom. Not once did I say some of the other things…”
The Yazoo Herald contacted Marc Magliari, senior public relations manager with Amtrak, who provided The Herald with the press release
.
“The city supplied us with their quotes,” Magliari said. “We submitted a release to them left with a blank spot, and the city provided us with their quote.”
Magliari added that his office would be contacting the city regarding the commentary made during Monday’s city council meeting.
