There are questions about the Hinds County Board of Supervisors appointment of former Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn to the county’s Economic Development Authority. District 3 Supervisor Deborah Dixon appointed the ex-speaker to serve on the 12-member board, but currently, there are no vacancies. Jared Turner is the member Gunn is supposed to replace. Turner was appointed to the board in February 2021 for a four-year term that is not set to expire for another seven months.“I have not talked to anyone from the county, and no one has asked me to resign. I am not going to resign because my term isn’t up until February 2025,” Turner said.Dixon has not returned phone calls to 16 WAPT News to answer questions about the appointment.According to board attorney Tony Gaylor, when supervisors voted Monday, it wasn’t clear that there wouldn’t be a vacancy.“At the time the supervisors voted, it wasn’t clear that there wouldn’t be a vacancy. In fact, we’re waiting to hear from the EDA to get their official position,” Gaylor said in a statement to 16 WAPT News. “There have been occasions in the past where that board has had as many as 15 members and we were able to get people to voluntarily resign to get back to the current number of 12. Once we get official word regarding whether there will be a vacancy, we will act accordingly.”According to the Economic Development Authority’s website, all 12 board seats are occupied, although it appears the terms have expired for two members. “You would think I would be able to serve all of my term and her appointment would start Feb. 1,” Turner said. “But seemingly, the way they wrote it up, it was to replace me.”One supervisor said they advised Dixon to rescind Gunn’s appointment to the board, otherwise, supervisors could face legal blowback.
There are questions about the Hinds County Board of Supervisors appointment of former Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn to the county’s Economic Development Authority.
District 3 Supervisor Deborah Dixon appointed the ex-speaker to serve on the 12-member board, but currently, there are no vacancies.
Jared Turner is the member Gunn is supposed to replace. Turner was appointed to the board in February 2021 for a four-year term that is not set to expire for another seven months.
“I have not talked to anyone from the county, and no one has asked me to resign. I am not going to resign because my term isn’t up until February 2025,” Turner said.
Dixon has not returned phone calls to 16 WAPT News to answer questions about the appointment.
According to board attorney Tony Gaylor, when supervisors voted Monday, it wasn’t clear that there wouldn’t be a vacancy.
“At the time the supervisors voted, it wasn’t clear that there wouldn’t be a vacancy. In fact, we’re waiting to hear from the EDA to get their official position,” Gaylor said in a statement to 16 WAPT News. “There have been occasions in the past where that board has had as many as 15 members and we were able to get people to voluntarily resign to get back to the current number of 12. Once we get official word regarding whether there will be a vacancy, we will act accordingly.”
According to the Economic Development Authority’s website, all 12 board seats are occupied, although it appears the terms have expired for two members.
“You would think I would be able to serve all of my term and her appointment would start Feb. 1,” Turner said. “But seemingly, the way they wrote it up, it was to replace me.”
One supervisor said they advised Dixon to rescind Gunn’s appointment to the board, otherwise, supervisors could face legal blowback.
