The city council hired a recent college graduate this week to temporary fill its Action Line position, with one city alderman in opposition.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen hired David Green to replace Olivia McCoy as the city’s Action Line coordinator. McCoy was moved to another city position as the mayor’s secretary.
But Alderman Dr. Jack Varner said the hire was politically motivated with the “city throwing money away.”
“A complaint department position was created, but as elected officials are the complaint department,” Varner said. “I have never heard of such. It was a political appointment. We are throwing city money away when it is not our money to throw away.”
But Mayor Diane Delaware said a “complaint department” was not created. She said the board temporarily filled an already established position that became vacant.
Delaware said the process began when her former secretary Kaneilia Williams was hired as the city clerk. With the secretary position vacant, Delaware said a replacement needed to be found immediately.
Delaware said McCoy, the Action Line coordinator, was moved into her secretary position.
“We agreed that I would replace that position (the Action Line coordinator) through a staffing agency,” Delaware said. “But working with the staffing agencies has not worked well with us. Instead of finding a replacement through a staffing agency, I requested to replace her with David Green.”
Delaware said Green, a Belhaven graduate, worked with the city during its summer work program. She said he will be joining the Navy in several months, and he will temporarily fill the Action Line coordinator position.
“We hired him temporarily until we replace the hire through a search,” Delaware said.
As far as the hire being “politically motivated,” Delaware said that was not the case.
“I don’t do political hires,” she said. “Rather than pay a staffing agency more money, let’s bring (Green) in temporarily while we search for someone.”
Delaware added that the Action Line position is vital to the city’s operation.
“That position has been in place for three and half years, and it has served Yazoo City and its citizens very well,” she said. “We must continue to be there to respond to the Action Line to ensure the office and the city runs well.”
