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The Columbus city council debates sending a lame-duck councilman on an expensive trip to Washington DC while a hostile work environment complaint against the mayor surfaces and local nonprofit organizations struggle with federal funding cuts.
• Columbus City Councilman Mickens plans to join a Washington DC lobbying trip despite his term ending June 30
• A formal complaint filed by a city employee alleges Mayor Gaskin created a hostile work environment but the two have since mended their professional relationship
• The former First Baptist Church rezoning request faces odd questions from city leadership
• United Way of the Golden Triangle serves seven counties but faces significant challenges with federal funding cuts
• The Community Benefit Committee maintains 30 food pantries across Lowndes County that require refilling twice weekly
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
From the opinion page of the Commercial Dispatch.
This is Between the Headlines.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
This is Peter Imes, publisher of the Dispatch.
One of our hosts of Between theHeadlines is the managing
editor of our newsroom.
Typically, we try to keep newsand opinions separate, but
reporters have a unique insightinto the workings of local
government and their analysiscan be helpful for readers and
listeners.
The Dispatch remains committedto journalistic integrity and
(00:37):
our reporting will alwaysreflect that.
And now Between the Headlines.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
This week on Between the Headlines, the Mickens DC
Farewell Tour sponsored by thetaxpayers of the city of
Columbus.
And an HR complaint surfaceswhere Mayor Keith Gaskin is
accused of creating a hostilework environment.
We'll get to that, but first.
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And now a message frompolitical candidate Bill Strauss
.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
This is Bill Strauss, your 2025 candidate for mayor
of Columbus.
As election time draws near,ask yourself are you satisfied
with our city leadership?
What has been done to eliminateour flooding issues?
What has been done to eliminateour housing blight?
Are our streets safe?
Why have we not kept up withWest Point, starkville and
Tupelo?
We must have new leadership.
(02:21):
Out with the old and in withthe new.
Elect Bill Strauss, your newmayor.
Paid for by campaign to electBill Strauss mayor 2025.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
And now a message from political candidate Jason
Spears.
Speaker 6 (02:35):
Hello, I am Jason Spears, your Republican
candidate for City Council, ward6.
I am grateful for the citizensof Ward 6 support in the primary
and respectfully requesteveryone's continued support in
the upcoming general election.
It is time to restore fiscalresponsibility, economic growth
and optimism back to our city.
I, like you, believe we can getback on track and know that, as
(02:55):
a community, we're going tomake it happen.
I approve this message and, onJune 3rd, vote Jason Spears for
Ward 6.
Paid for by the campaign toelect Jason Spears, ward 6.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
All right, you are listening to Between the
Headlines with the all-hearingears of the Friendly City and
managing editor of theCommercial Dispatch, mr Zach
Player, and my name is DavidChisholm.
The top headline today theseverance package.
Can we call it that?
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Whatever, mr Mickens goes to Washington for one last
ride.
You know I don't know what youwant to call it, but yeah, the
city council is considering veryseriously.
They're asking their lobbyist,worth Thomas Consulting, if
(03:47):
now's the time to go toWashington, if they should go to
Washington in June to see ifthey can lobby for funds for
Fossil Park, watershed, avariety of their federal funding
priorities.
Lots was said Tuesday thatprobably now wasn't the time.
Doesn't look like a great timefor the city to go.
(04:07):
Uh, even so, you know Mickenshas no business going and
regardless of you know Mickenshas confirmed he intends to be
on the travel team here.
Like he talked to me yesterdayabout, it's in the paper Lame
duck Mickens, lame duck Mickens.
I mean he's not even going tohave a city position come July
1st.
So I really can't fathom theutility that he brings to the
(04:30):
table going to Washington.
I don't see him as being amaster lobbyist.
And look, I like Mickens fine.
I actually have generallyalways gotten along with
Councilman Mickens, but I'venever left a conversation with
him where I thought, dang, Ineed to give that man some money
.
I can't imagine Roger Wicker orTrent Kelly sitting up there
(04:51):
going.
You know I was reallyinterested in your fossil park
project, but I was reallylooking forward to talking with
Mickens about it.
Otherwise, I just don't think Ican support it.
I don't, why is Mickens goingother than?
to get one more, last taxpayerfunded trip.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Yeah, I'm sure I could put a fossil slash age
related joke in there somehow.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Give him a break.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
I do want to give him a break because I kind of feel
bad for him.
I really do.
Here.
It's kind of like have you everjust I've had this, just to be
honest, where I'll be in a roomand I'll tell a joke and then
I'll laugh about it?
And then I will realize, hey,I'm the only fellow laughing at
this joke right here, and itseems like that's what's
(05:41):
happening here.
I opened up the article fromthe dispatch.
Hey, they wrote an Onionarticle here.
Speaker 7 (05:51):
And then I was like no wait.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
If it's about Mickens .
Speaker 3 (05:55):
It ain't done.
Mickens really does want to goto DC on the taxpayer dime on
his way out of office.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Well, and I was asking.
I talked at length with Mickensabout this and some other
issues that we'll get to later.
I think that his response tothe question of why do you need
to go to Washington was prettytelling.
You know, he not only did he,you know, he said I reject that
question.
I think that question is thewrong question.
(06:23):
But also he starts, you know,talking about how he wants to
give the last bit of himself tothe city.
But in the middle, there he goeson this eight minute rant about
his loyalty to the city and howKeith total loser, worst mayor
the city's ever had what can heput his name on in the last four
(06:46):
years and 16 years?
Mickens says I put my name onlots of things and I mean it was
just over and over and overagain.
This, you know, just bashing ofKeith.
That didn't really answer thequestion of what do you bring to
the table?
And the Shakespeare line inHamlet says something like thou
doth protest too much.
(07:07):
Methinks it shows exactly whateverybody's thinking.
Mickens sees travel as healways has, and if you look at
the records they're going tobear this out Mickens sees
travel as a fringe benefit ofbeing a city official and he
intends to milk that through thevery last opportunity of his
term and that is why he believeshe should be on this contingent
(07:28):
in June.
To you know, go see thecongressmen and senators.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
I think that's quite sad.
Listen, I'm in favor ofwork-related travel.
I'm in favor of doing the work,lobbying, and yes, that's going
to involve a plane, yes, that'sgoing to involve hotels, food,
that types of thing.
But it's a duty and it's anobligation If there's no purpose
(07:57):
for it it's not recreation.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
No, it should not be at all, and even if it's fun
that that part's fine, but thereneeds to be a distinct benefit
for the city and there needs tobe a utility for your presence
that cannot be had without it,and there's just not, isn't here
, and they're, uh, talking aboutit being, at minimum, two
(08:22):
thousand dollars ahead to go.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
No, come on $3,500 easy.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Yeah, I mean, yeah, I think it's going to be more
than $2,000.
But still, if you live in thecity of Columbus, that's your
money.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
I have heard people out there saying they need to
send Roderick instead.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Well, I mean, they need to send Roderick instead,
and they need to go at a moreopportune time, which is going
to be after he takes officeanyway, that's right.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Dc is not exactly in the mood to be shelling out
funds right now, right.
To put it rightly Right, allright.
Well, you're listening toBetween the Headlines with Zach
and David.
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I want to let you know about aforum that will be with all
three of the mayoral candidatesMr Stephen Jones, mr Darren
Leach and Mr Bill Strauss.
That is May 27th at the Lyceumat Lee, from 6 to 7 30.
(10:24):
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No cost for that ticket, butreserve that ticket at
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This forum is sponsored by theDispatch and by the Lyceum at
Lee All right.
Next on the agenda today wehave a late-breaking news item,
(10:48):
that is, a complaint.
Jamie Garrett, the name on thetop of this complaint levied
against Mayor Gaskin, datedFebruary 13th Is that correct?
I believe that's right.
Yes, all right.
What is?
Speaker 1 (11:01):
this, yes, okay.
So now, first of all, thecomplaint made a couple months
ago.
This is something that in theaforementioned rant from Mickens
about how terrible Keith is, hejust kind of drops into the
conversation that there was thiscomplaint.
Shortly after that conversationI had that complaint in my hand
(11:23):
and you know it's on CityLetterhead.
It's signed by Jamie.
Everybody confirms that ithappened and all involved
parties spoke to it to someextent.
Essentially, it's saying thatduring all of that mess with
Susan Wilder, the grantadministrator, when Keith told
(11:44):
her to file for that grant,whether the council approved it
or not, the council had notapproved it.
She applied for it anyway.
And then she gets called in onthe carpet.
Well, so Jamie is in charge ofposting the special meeting that
two councilmen had called andduring that entire process,
through that entire day, shekind of this complaint kind of
takes through what she sees asher experience through that
(12:06):
entire day, which shows of thiscomplaint kind of takes through
what she sees as her experiencethrough that entire day which
shows the mayor you know as aspetulant.
She calls him intimidating,bullying, pounding the table at
one point while you know she'strying to explain something to
him and he's not wanting toaccept that information and that
(12:27):
it created a hostile workenvironment at City Hall for her
.
And she wrote up this complaintand posted it to initially
posted it to the agenda for thecouncil to discuss, I guess
during executive session of ameeting, and then it got pulled
down and it was neverreaddressed and I don't think
anybody intended for it to eversurface and Keith's response to
(12:51):
this was he put together like aclass to teach the staff.
Let's get to that in a second.
So I want to go back to thiscomplaint and I want to be very
clear.
I'm not commenting on whether Ithink the specific allegations
in the complaint are true itwasn't't there but I will say
that the narrative is prettyreflective of keith's behavior
(13:12):
in at least 50 of theconversations I've had with the
man over the last four years.
That looks very similar to howhe acts when he's talking to me,
hell sometimes when he's on hispress conferences that are on
video.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Well, he's definitely an emotionally driven character
he is he's?
Definitely, shall we say,passionate, yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Well, there's something else that he is as
well you know, and to talk aboutthe 50 conversations that I've
had with him or so, that havelooked very much like what Jamie
wrote down in this complaint,two of them we had with him
yesterday.
So I mean one of them aboutthis subject and to your point
that you brought up a while ago,I think the fact that Keith
(13:53):
responded to Jamie Levy in thiscomplaint by bringing in a
lawyer to City Hall to haveclasses to mansplain what a
hospital work environmentactually is and how he wasn't
creating one.
That shows the exact level ofself-awareness from Keith we've
all come to know and love overthe last four years.
I cannot remember a time,publicly or privately, where
(14:16):
he's recognized any fault he hasin a situation, and when he
does start to own it it's alwayscouched in a but so-and-so is
worse or such-and-such did ittoo.
And the thing about it is whenI'm having those conversations
with him I can leave.
They end.
I go on about my business andabout my day.
You're not on the payroll.
(14:37):
Yeah, if just what I've seenyou know, the complaint aside if
just what I've seen is whatCity Hall is like day to day, I
couldn't work there.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I don't know.
To me, I think, the whole ideaof a hostile work environment is
often over-touted.
I'm looking at this and I'mthinking okay, did Keith Gaskin
raise his voice?
I don't care.
Did Keith Gaskin use words thatone may not hear in Sunday
school?
I still don't care.
(15:11):
Did Keith Gaskin smash a saladbowl against the wall?
Okay, well, yeah, let's talkabout that.
You know, at what point are wereally getting over the line
into what actually creates ahostile work environment?
Speaker 1 (15:25):
A culture of berating employees is a hostile work
environment which started withthe council right, well, yeah,
that kind of bleeds over intoCity Hall To say that Keith is
doing it and the council is notwould be entirely unfair.
The council has created ahostile work environment for
employees for at least this pastterm, and look no further than
(15:49):
Kenny Weigel and Susan Wilderfor more information.
But you know, and that's anotherthing, I mean this, this sort
of outlines and what we alreadyknew about Susan Wilder, that
whole mess with that grant andKeith put them in a a terrible
position.
Not only to put susan in aterrible position of I know what
(16:12):
the council said, but I don'tcare, apply for it anyway, and
then putting garrett in aposition where she had to.
She, she had to take thecouncil's direction to call for
this special meeting and thenshe had to hear she had to catch
hell from Keith for doing herjob.
Like that particular situationfor both of those ladies was
(16:35):
just like I'd have called insick.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Let me ask you I get that, I do.
Let me ask you this Do youthink that there is a way for
the sitting mayor of Columbus toavoid carrying the stress of
city council meetings into cityhall?
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Self-awareness self-reflection, introspective
and knowing and being able toown.
Hey, I made a mistake in thismoment.
Hey, I maybe shouldn't have.
Like, he denied the allegationsin the complaint.
You know, obviously he's talkedto everybody or had somebody
(17:20):
else talk to him.
I wasn't really creating ahostile work environment because
, definitionally, blah, blah,blah, blah, blah.
I mean he's basically saying Idon't like your vocabulary,
jamie, so your entire argumentis invalid.
You can't tell somebody howthey feel.
And she felt a certain way andhe did not seem at any point,
including yesterday, toacknowledge that she might have
(17:42):
felt that way validly.
And that has been.
When you talk about hisrelationship with the council,
when you talk about hisrelationship, obviously, with
his employees, when you talkabout his relationship with the
media, when you talk about, youknow, just the day to day,
that's been his Achilles heelsince he took office.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
I get that and most of that sounds feelings based,
which is unfortunate, but I seea lot of this as being policy
based.
Ok, case in point at the lastcouncil meeting, what did the
council need to do?
They needed to hire peopleimmediately to get in there in
the accounting department, wherethe people are running around
(18:22):
like chickens with no heads,they can't write checks, they're
making mistakes, but no, let'sput that off.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Well, and they did hire one of them.
That's kind of stressful, zach.
Well, I mean, I understand that, I understand that, and the
fact that they were going tokick both of those to July was
kind of weird.
And they course, corrected onthat and actually hired one of
them, the one that they didn'thire.
There's a pretty good reasonwhy they didn't hire that person
right now, and even Keithadmits that that's something
(18:52):
that they need to look into.
But you're the mayor.
And that doesn't make you nothuman, that doesn't make you
above getting to have feelings.
But because you're the mayor,that doesn't mean that the
people around you who disagreewith you aren't entitled to
(19:13):
those either, and that is thedynamic that Keith has never
particularly let resonate withhim, and that's frustrating.
But there's one more point onthis that I want to point out,
and it's on Jamie Garrett's side.
I feel bad for her that thiscame out.
I really do, because it was nota public document in the
(19:34):
conventional sense.
It was an official documentthat she wrote on city
letterhead, but it was somethingthat didn't necessarily have to
come to light, but it did.
But I don't really know whatshe was thinking.
Keith is not a city employee,he's an elected official.
So the council doesn't have anyfiring or hiring power over him
(19:54):
, can't discipline him.
So this report was supposed tohave.
She was calling out to somebody, specifically to the council
and to the HR director, tointervene on her behalf with
Keith.
That's what the complaint saysthat she was trying to do.
She intended for this to havean impact on Keith and she
(20:15):
didn't write it in a rage.
The incident happened on the 6th.
She wrote it a week later.
So it was intentional to havean impact on Keith positive,
negative, whatever, fair orunfair.
She wanted it to have an impacton Keith positive, negative,
whatever fair or unfair.
She wanted it to have an impacton Keith.
But she wrote it down and sheshared it with who the council,
many of whom are his politicalopponents or enemies or people
(20:39):
who have political beef with himand she did it during an
election season.
Anytime you write something,anytime you write something down
and share it, you lose acertain amount of stewardship of
that document.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
What an understatement yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
So the council or council members or other people
had this document and you havestewardship of what you have
possession of.
It's ammunition, it's ammunition.
And so, during this politicalseason, ammunition, it's
ammunition.
And so, during this politicalseason, did she not think that,
handing these people a cannon toshoot at Keith, that they
weren't going to shoot it?
I'm shocked that I hadn'tgotten this in my hand prior to
(21:17):
now, and I think that if Keithwas running for mayor, I would
have you know, I think thetiming of this, as you say, is
very unfortunate.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
And the timing of it, just in my view of things,
makes it, at the end of the day,closer to being chicken scratch
and something to really get ina twist over.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
That's just my opinion.
Right, and I mean to be fair toJamie.
She said their problems havebeen resolved.
They've worked through them.
I believe her.
I think they're working finetogether.
She says they problems havebeen resolved, they've worked
through them.
I believe her.
I think they're working finetogether.
She says they're working finetogether.
She's embarrassed that it cameto light.
But when it comes down to it atthe end of the day and I
appreciate the fact that they'veworked through their whatever
they were going through andthey're working together fine
(22:01):
now but at the end of the dayshe wrote this down, she put it
on city letterhead and shesigned it and she shared it with
people who had the politicalonus to share it publicly.
And that is a mistake on herpart, I believe.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
All right, I have a bonus rant.
If I have time to throw this inhere, I'm looking at the city
council meeting last night andthe request for the rezoning of
the former First Baptist Churchbuilding, and it was what's the
gentleman's name?
Mr Vincent Raposada.
(22:39):
By unanimous consent of thecity planning commission, let's
rezone it, okay.
Well, what's he want to do?
Executive apartments, 15 ofthem.
Very nice Office space, 81,000square feet total.
What does our leadership do?
We've got Mickens.
(22:59):
He wants to ask what the addressof this place is.
He doesn't know what's going on.
It's First Baptist Church.
It's been there 200 years.
Come on, stuart asks is there aplace to park?
Again, it's First BaptistChurch.
There's a public parking lotright across the street.
Well, and they've got 140parking places behind it.
(23:21):
And then Jones, he's askingokay, what guarantee do we have
that this will remain a high end?
Well, the guarantee is that wehave good leadership in city
council.
That's the only guarantee wehave on this stuff.
I think the efforts of VinceRaposada are met with unthanks
(23:44):
and I think that's unfortunateare met with unthanks, and I
think that's unfortunate.
I think he should get a rose inthe dispatch and, frankly, I
think a thorn is in order.
No-transcript, all right, atthis time.
We now have the ExecutiveDirector of the United Way, Ms
Renee Sanders, and alongside herhere is Lieutenant Rhonda
(24:07):
Sanders from the CommunityBenefit Committee.
Welcome, ladies and the LowndesCounty.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Sheriff's Office.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
Oh yeah, that's right , good morning.
Speaker 7 (24:14):
Good morning.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
So just to open up.
Have you been feeling, ms Renee, the squeeze from Light Doge?
Has big balls knocked on yourdoor.
How is that stuff going Took a?
Speaker 4 (24:27):
minute, but it rolled on down we were keeping an eye
on that, though, from thebeginning, but didn't realize it
was going to hit as hard as itdid and overnight the way that
it did.
No warning, no official warningand really no official heads up
as to what's going on.
No clarity.
That's the problem.
Like we are finding out thingsfrom the news outlet, but how do
(24:52):
you make real decisions in yourcommunity with these workers
based off of a news article?
That's just not the right wayto make a decision.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
And the AmeriCorps Vistas that you guys have.
We did a story a while backwhere I think it was last week,
where a lot of Starkvilleorganizations they lost theirs
and they got notification.
Have y'all got thatnotification yet?
Have not, and how many do y'allhave when y'all's organization?
Speaker 4 (25:20):
We have the ability to house three this year, nine
last year.
And just for clarity, vistaVolunteers in Service to America
is the federal program that wehave been receiving funds from
the federal government forseveral years in Columbus.
A lot of people didn't know,but in our community in Lowndes
County, we had the ability tohouse three to currently have
(25:45):
locations, and so that's one atContact Helpline and then
there's one at the GenTechCenter in West Point,
Mississippi, and the third seatis open.
We were about to fill that seat, but you have to.
There's a certain time that youcan actually have an individual
to fill it.
You just can't fill it the daythat you want to.
(26:06):
They give you guidelines on howto do that.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Okay, and backing up here a little bit, just starting
with you, Renee, just shortbreakdown of what United Way
does y'all service area and kindof what, that sort of thing.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
It's taken me 10 years.
This is my 10th year.
I don't know if you guys knewthat 10 years I've been with
United Way.
Can't believe it, but it'staken me 10 years to articulate
this one statement of whatUnited Way is, because that's
the one question that people askall the time what is United Way
and what do you do?
So here we are.
We are a multidimensional,volunteer-led, multi-dimensional
volunteer led nonprofit thatoversees donor dollars with
(26:45):
integrity.
We raise the money to give itto agencies like Rhonda or the
22 that are currently housed,and all of our agencies have to
apply and everyone submits anapplication and we have a team
of volunteers that go out andthey vet those applicants.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
And so in their local nonprofits in the seven
counties that I now serve.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
So when I started I was the United Way of Lowndes
County and now with the UnitedWay the Golden Triangle region,
serving Clay, choctaw, attiba,winston Webster, lowndes and
Knoxville.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Rhonda, with the Community Bene benefit committee
and other things that you touchthrough the sheriff's office.
From a philanthropy standpoint,kind of explain y'all's role
through that committee andthrough the sheriff's office.
Speaker 7 (27:34):
Okay, the community benefit committee we are a team
of seven now started off with 10commitment committee members
throughout the community.
We have um professors fromcolleges, social workers, um
people who work in differentagencies throughout the
(27:54):
community that basically cangive opinions and, um, you know,
deal with the people here inLowndes County.
So we're a nonprofit that wascreated by me and my husband.
We decided that we were goingto start a nonprofit to benefit,
(28:14):
really, police offices at firstbecause we had so many police
officers, believe it or not,that were in need and would have
like crises.
The first thing we did was wehad a police officer's house to
burn and I don't know if peopleknow this, but we don't make
(28:35):
much money.
Speaker 4 (28:35):
What You've got to be kidding.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
I thought police were rolling Right.
Speaker 7 (28:39):
I thought police were rolling Right.
So with the little insurancethat he had and three kids he
really couldn't afford to getback what he could and I kind of
(29:03):
watched him go through that.
Being a female officer, we getto know a little more about our
guys because they feel like theycan come in and kind of talk to
us about you know differentstuff.
Well, after we got in there andwe started our first fundraiser
to help this guy out it was abig need within the blue
community, so not just helpingcity police officers, we just
spread it to help any policeofficer that really was in need.
Well, we got out there in thecommunity really needed some
(29:26):
help.
Right.
So in about two years from that, we built a board, became all
legit and did all this stuff andwe just started going out in
the community and helping wherewe could.
We do Christmas for babiesbabies, we do.
(29:46):
Turkeys we um help people umthat's lacking in their homes,
um, we do we.
It's not just written rules onwho we help, right, we help
people by need well, how didy'all get involved?
I guess in the little pantrieswell, um, some ladies decided
that they were going to start apantry down I think the first
(30:06):
one was down by the soccercomplex and we started getting
calls and stuff and you know,and we started feeling it and we
saw that it was a need.
So we decided to partner withthe sheriff's office where I
work.
So we decided to partner withthe sheriff's office where I
work, went in and talked to thesheriff and said what about if
we put some of these in thecounty?
(30:28):
Because we didn't have any inthe county.
Well, it grew from putting oneand two in the county until we
have 30 today throughout thecounty and the city.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
And how quickly?
How often are y'all actuallygetting those filled up by
people and how often are theyempty and out?
We?
Speaker 7 (30:44):
try.
Oh, very quick.
We try to fill them twice aweek.
Mr Pete, who passed, would helpme get the food and take it out
with the trustees, but now,since he passed, I get in this
big van and me and the trustees,we go out and we fill it every
two times a week.
That's if we have it now.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
Right, and that's that's the next question I was
going to ask both of you guys.
Like you know, we were talkingabout more institutional funding
, federal funding, federal help,the doge cuts and different
things like that.
But what's happening withprivate donations locally that
y'all have seen in a trend?
Speaker 7 (31:29):
My thing that I see is different generations.
We were in my generation, wewere givers.
We were born and we knew whenyou give, you're blessed.
So we were givers thisgeneration not so.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
We're talking about millennials or the younger, like
that.
Speaker 7 (31:55):
Yes, yes, some of them are givers because their
families teach them.
Me I have three kids.
I teach my kids to be kind andto give A lot of these young
generations.
They don't.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Do you think that it might be symptomatic the fact
that you need so many foodpantries and they're emptying
out so often that you're sort ofMaslow's hierarchy of needs is?
Do they have it to give that?
Speaker 7 (32:21):
is Maslow's hierarchy of needs is do they have it to
give that?
That?
That is, some do have it andthey choose to do different.
See, when I was growing up, weknew that we were supposed to
(32:43):
tie and we were supposed to give10 percent of our earnings.
That's what that was, somethingthat was instilled in us, right
.
That's what that's wassomething that was instilled in
us, right, and we knew that wewere supposed to help people who
didn't have food and we knew weneeded to help clothe people.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
Parents are not teaching our kids that these
days have, to a certain extent,relied upon government programs
excessively, to the point thatwhen they get withdrawn that you
know that it's like.
Well, I'm accustomed to havingthis safety net to fall on and
therefore, why do I need to give?
Speaker 7 (33:17):
Do you think that?
Speaker 3 (33:19):
plays into it.
I think so.
Yeah, I think so.
Well, what can we do?
I want to help.
I want to turn this thingaround, renee.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
Nice.
I was speaking with someonejust a moment ago about the
number one reason people do notgive.
The number one reason peopledon't give they were never axed
Right.
However, the number one reasonpeople do give is because they
were axed, and a Facebook postis not an ask.
(33:48):
You have got to talk to thepeople and I think with the
younger generation, they want tosee something Right.
They don't want to give to acause like this program.
These individuals work behindthe scene.
United Way.
We're behind the scene.
People always call and want toknow what we do, but we're
behind the scene raising moneyto give it to agencies.
(34:10):
They don't really want to helpthat because they can't see it.
And the number one reason thatthey do want to help they want
to get involved.
They want to be hands on.
I have seen Rhonda give out acall for remember when we wanted
to raise the water.
We were in the water crisis andwe were talking about how many
cases of water Initially?
Yeah, but initially we talkedabout doing like a hundred cases
(34:33):
and then we went to a thousandcases and then this lady fills
up an 18 wheeler.
People will do that.
They want to see something andget involved.
But when you start, asking fordollars.
Speaker 7 (34:50):
That's a whole different ask right, and most
people want something in returnin return.
So our best fundraisers arelike the hunting house.
Guess what?
Speaker 1 (34:54):
you pay ten dollars and you're gonna you get to
experience something and helpsomebody and help someone at the
same time.
Speaker 7 (35:01):
But people want you to be transparent with their
dollars and that's why I like toshow people where their money
is going.
If I raise five thousanddollars, you better believe
you're going to see it, becauseit's proof in the pudding right
there.
Speaker 3 (35:18):
That's very good, because a lot of people are
leery of non-profitorganizations that are not
transparent, particularly theones that have heavy
administrative fees that somehowget tucked away and that makes
people nervous.
Speaker 7 (35:31):
Trust me, we get paid .
Not one zero, not a dollar.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
So I want to go, I want to bank left from David's
question to you all ago.
Without United Way, without theCommunity Benefit Committee and
the other things that you guysdo, what happens?
Speaker 4 (35:51):
Well, I think a lot of people think that we're
federally funded and we aretalking about.
A portion of what we do comesfrom federal funds.
Every time I speak, I tellpeople we are not federally
funded.
You can't even imagine what theVISTAs were making.
They just made enough forpoverty level.
We didn't even call theirpayment a salary, it was a
(36:14):
stipend and at the end of theterm then they had options to
get funds to pay back a studentloan or they could get like
$1,500 as a cash out option.
But it was just barely enoughfor them to make it.
And, like I said, in our areawe just had three VISTAs.
In the Starkville communitythere were way more VISTAs and
(36:37):
they felt that need.
They're feeling it a lot harderthan we are right now at this
time, but I want the communityto know that we are not
federally funded.
We don't write that that's notthe bread and butter of what we
do.
This community is the bread andbutter, like if the community
doesn't give, then we don'texist.
(36:58):
Don't exist whether that'sfinancially giving or if that's
physically giving of the pantry.
Without the community, there isno.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
there's no help, Right, and so to get to get to
that, the second part of thatquestion.
Okay, you don't exist.
Speaker 4 (37:13):
Then what?
Speaker 1 (37:13):
who suffers and how is that suffering?
Speaker 7 (37:16):
How's that suffering take place?
Yeah, people, kids, they suffer.
Speaker 4 (37:20):
So true.
Speaker 7 (37:21):
And these are nonprofits, Like she said, 10
years I've been in lawenforcement.
For 29 years People don't writeyou a check because they just
say, okay, she's the police orshe's this.
These are years and years ofrelationship I built and truly
(37:43):
become a lot of my donors.
We're like family.
They give because I'mtransparent with the
organization very transparentand they give because they trust
us.
And they've seen the results andthey've seen the results and
people want results with theirmoney.
That's our older donors thepeople who Know that they're
(38:07):
going to give to a certain causeevery year.
And this is what happened, andwe produced.
Speaker 4 (38:13):
David, can I go back to something that you touched on
a little bit about?
I think you were talking aboutthe givers really not having
access to give the funds thefinancial ability to give, I
think you kind of mentionedasked the question about that,
mentioned asked the questionabout that and what I've learned
(38:33):
about individuals on.
When I go speak to people aboutgiving, I ask them now not to
try to add United Way to theiralready tight budget, because
all of us are feeling the costof eggs.
I don't care you know where youare now or how much money
you're making.
Eggs still cost $8 and $11,right, and for some that's
harder to purchase than others.
However, I'm asking people notto add me to their current
(38:55):
budget.
Don't do that.
What I want you to do is look atyour current budget and if you
are eating out more than twice amonth, whoops if you're eating
out more than twice a month,take one of those meals and stay
home and then give that amountto one of these agencies.
(39:17):
And here's the number onereason that you should give to
United Way.
But I have I 100% supportanything that Rhonda does.
If she calls, I look at myphone and say, oh, that's Rhonda
, let me see what she needs.
And so I am 100% behind her.
She is not a United Way agency,but anytime I can find a way to
support her, I do that.
Anytime I can find food orvolunteers that are needing to
(39:40):
get something done, I point themher direction.
But the number one reason youshould give to United Way it's
taken me 10 years to articulatethis too we give stability to
the agencies under our umbrella.
This too we give stability tothe agencies under our umbrella.
Every month, they know thatthey're going to get their
dollars donated or dropped intotheir bank account on the 15th
of every month.
It allows them to createprograms and not have to wonder
(40:01):
where their funds are going togo, versus an individual that
writes a check every now andthen and if something happens
and they have a flat tire,they're going to take your
donation and take care of theflat and you don't know.
So the stability of giving theUnited Way the monthly donation,
a reoccurring donation to givethe United Way allows me to give
stability to agencies.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Okay, All right.
So how to give?
How do you give to theCommunity Benefit Committee?
How do you give to United?
Speaker 7 (40:30):
Way, we have Cash App and we have PayPal for Benefit
Committee, or you can write acheck, you can inbox our
organization.
We're on Facebook and JanieShields is our treasurer and she
(40:51):
will be glad to take yourdonation.
Speaker 4 (40:53):
Absolutely, we're located at 362 Park Creek Drive
off of Blue Cut Road.
I said the number one reason.
Another reason not the numberone, but another reason people
would not give to United Waysbecause they didn't believe that
we were here.
They couldn't see us, and youdon't support what you don't see
.
So I really wanted thatlocation, or a location to be
(41:14):
visible.
And now we are visible off ofBlue Cut Road so you can swing
by our new office, check it out,write a check, bring some cash.
You can do all the other formswe do.
Payroll deduction.
That's not our bread and butteranymore.
Payroll deduction is if yourcompany will allow your
employees to give from theirpaycheck before they even get
(41:34):
their check.
That used to be the bread andbutter of United Way.
It's not anymore.
And then we have a hugefundraiser.
Can I say this?
Can I talk about it?
My huge fundraiser is our 50Kgiveaway.
This is going to be our thirdyear to give away $50,000.
And somebody said, renee, howare you going to give away
$50,000.
And somebody said, renee, howare you going to give away
$50,000?
I said I'm going to selltickets.
I'm going to sell 3,000 tickets.
(41:56):
That's my goal this year.
We're going to give away thefunds on September the 4th.
You have four opportunities, asan individual, to win $10,000.
So you buy a ticket for $100.
Well, excuse me, correction.
You buy a ticket for for $100.
Well, excuse me, correction.
You buy a ticket for just $100.
And then you have fouropportunities to win $10,000.
(42:18):
The fifth $10,000 I'm settingaside strategically for a
nonprofit, a church, a boosterclub.
And if a church or a nonprofitwill sell 10 tickets help me by
selling 10 tickets Then theirname will go on a separate
drawing and they will have theopportunity to win $10,000.
Last year we had 15 agenciesjust 15 agencies that had the
(42:41):
opportunity to win 10 grand.
So we're going to do that samething again this year.
So our 50K giveaway.
Speaker 1 (42:45):
Okay, all right.
Anything either of you guyswant to add?
Speaker 7 (42:49):
No, all right, anything either.
You guys want to add no, but Iwant to remind everybody that we
have 30 food pantriesthroughout Lowndes County.
We also house food at thesheriff's office.
If you want to drop off at thelobby and we will distribute it
as needed, please do so.
Donate to the community benefitcommittee, go to our Facebook
(43:13):
page, follow us and see what wedo in the community Also a big
program I wanted to tell you wegive beds.
We've given over 500 beds tochildren, partnering with
Ashley's Furniture throughoutLowndes County.
Now police officer deputies gointo homes.
They identify children who'ssleeping on the floor throughout
(43:36):
Lowndes County.
Even if the city policeofficers do this, let me know
and we are purchasing these kidsbrand new beds and the linen
that goes on the bed.
We're doing a lot of stuff.
Just go to our Facebook pagetwo minute and we'll be here all
day.
Speaker 1 (43:54):
Well, thank you all very much for joining us today.
Speaker 3 (44:01):
Thank you for having us.
Thank you, thank you, ladies.
You have been listening toBetween the Headlines.
Our guests today have beenRenee with United Way and
Lieutenant Rhonda Sanders withthe Community Benefit Committee.
That will do it.
We want to thank our listenersfor joining in today.
Be sure to subscribe, rate andshare, and send us your comments
.
We would love to hear from you.
Tips at cdispatchcom Again,that is, tips at cdispatchcom.
(44:23):
You can also follow me onFacebook or x at the Chisholm 00
.
Signing off until next weekfrom Catfish Alley Studios in
historic downtown Columbus,right across from the newly
placed marker in honor of DrEmmett J Stringer.
Your host has been Zach Playerand I am David Chisholm.
(44:44):
Until next time, y'all keep itfriendly and we will keep it
real.
From the opinion page of the Commercial Dispatch.
This is Between the Headlines.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
This is Peter Imes, publisher of the Dispatch.
One of our hosts of Between theHeadlines is the managing
editor of our newsroom.
Typically, we try to keep newsand opinions separate, but
reporters have a unique insightinto the workings of local
government and their analysiscan be helpful for readers and
listeners.
The Dispatch remains committedto journalistic integrity and
(00:37):
our reporting will alwaysreflect that.
And now Between the Headlines.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
This week on Between the Headlines, the Mickens DC
Farewell Tour sponsored by thetaxpayers of the city of
Columbus.
And an HR complaint surfaceswhere Mayor Keith Gaskin is
accused of creating a hostilework environment.
We'll get to that, but first.
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And now a message frompolitical candidate Bill Strauss
.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
This is Bill Strauss, your 2025 candidate for mayor
of Columbus.
As election time draws near,ask yourself are you satisfied
with our city leadership?
What has been done to eliminateour flooding issues?
What has been done to eliminateour housing blight?
Are our streets safe?
Why have we not kept up withWest Point, starkville and
Tupelo?
We must have new leadership.
(02:21):
Out with the old and in withthe new.
Elect Bill Strauss, your newmayor.
Paid for by campaign to electBill Strauss mayor 2025.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
And now a message from political candidate Jason
Spears.
Speaker 6 (02:35):
Hello, I am Jason Spears, your Republican
candidate for City Council, ward6.
I am grateful for the citizensof Ward 6 support in the primary
and respectfully requesteveryone's continued support in
the upcoming general election.
It is time to restore fiscalresponsibility, economic growth
and optimism back to our city.
I, like you, believe we can getback on track and know that, as
(02:55):
a community, we're going tomake it happen.
I approve this message and, onJune 3rd, vote Jason Spears for
Ward 6.
Paid for by the campaign toelect Jason Spears, ward 6.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
All right, you are listening to Between the
Headlines with the all-hearingears of the Friendly City and
managing editor of theCommercial Dispatch, mr Zach
Player, and my name is DavidChisholm.
The top headline today theseverance package.
Can we call it that?
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Whatever, mr Mickens goes to Washington for one last
ride.
You know I don't know what youwant to call it, but yeah, the
city council is considering veryseriously.
They're asking their lobbyist,worth Thomas Consulting, if
(03:47):
now's the time to go toWashington, if they should go to
Washington in June to see ifthey can lobby for funds for
Fossil Park, watershed, avariety of their federal funding
priorities.
Lots was said Tuesday thatprobably now wasn't the time.
Doesn't look like a great timefor the city to go.
(04:07):
Uh, even so, you know Mickenshas no business going and
regardless of you know Mickenshas confirmed he intends to be
on the travel team here.
Like he talked to me yesterdayabout, it's in the paper Lame
duck Mickens, lame duck Mickens.
I mean he's not even going tohave a city position come July
1st.
So I really can't fathom theutility that he brings to the
(04:30):
table going to Washington.
I don't see him as being amaster lobbyist.
And look, I like Mickens fine.
I actually have generallyalways gotten along with
Councilman Mickens, but I'venever left a conversation with
him where I thought, dang, Ineed to give that man some money
.
I can't imagine Roger Wicker orTrent Kelly sitting up there
(04:51):
going.
You know I was reallyinterested in your fossil park
project, but I was reallylooking forward to talking with
Mickens about it.
Otherwise, I just don't think Ican support it.
I don't, why is Mickens goingother than?
to get one more, last taxpayerfunded trip.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Yeah, I'm sure I could put a fossil slash age
related joke in there somehow.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Give him a break.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
I do want to give him a break because I kind of feel
bad for him.
I really do.
Here.
It's kind of like have you everjust I've had this, just to be
honest, where I'll be in a roomand I'll tell a joke and then
I'll laugh about it?
And then I will realize, hey,I'm the only fellow laughing at
this joke right here, and itseems like that's what's
(05:41):
happening here.
I opened up the article fromthe dispatch.
Hey, they wrote an Onionarticle here.
Speaker 7 (05:51):
And then I was like no wait.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
If it's about Mickens .
Speaker 3 (05:55):
It ain't done.
Mickens really does want to goto DC on the taxpayer dime on
his way out of office.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Well, and I was asking.
I talked at length with Mickensabout this and some other
issues that we'll get to later.
I think that his response tothe question of why do you need
to go to Washington was prettytelling.
You know, he not only did he,you know, he said I reject that
question.
I think that question is thewrong question.
(06:23):
But also he starts, you know,talking about how he wants to
give the last bit of himself tothe city.
But in the middle, there he goeson this eight minute rant about
his loyalty to the city and howKeith total loser, worst mayor
the city's ever had what can heput his name on in the last four
(06:46):
years and 16 years?
Mickens says I put my name onlots of things and I mean it was
just over and over and overagain.
This, you know, just bashing ofKeith.
That didn't really answer thequestion of what do you bring to
the table?
And the Shakespeare line inHamlet says something like thou
doth protest too much.
(07:07):
Methinks it shows exactly whateverybody's thinking.
Mickens sees travel as healways has, and if you look at
the records they're going tobear this out Mickens sees
travel as a fringe benefit ofbeing a city official and he
intends to milk that through thevery last opportunity of his
term and that is why he believeshe should be on this contingent
(07:28):
in June.
To you know, go see thecongressmen and senators.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
I think that's quite sad.
Listen, I'm in favor ofwork-related travel.
I'm in favor of doing the work,lobbying, and yes, that's going
to involve a plane, yes, that'sgoing to involve hotels, food,
that types of thing.
But it's a duty and it's anobligation If there's no purpose
(07:57):
for it it's not recreation.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
No, it should not be at all, and even if it's fun
that that part's fine, but thereneeds to be a distinct benefit
for the city and there needs tobe a utility for your presence
that cannot be had without it,and there's just not, isn't here
, and they're, uh, talking aboutit being, at minimum, two
(08:22):
thousand dollars ahead to go.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
No, come on $3,500 easy.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Yeah, I mean, yeah, I think it's going to be more
than $2,000.
But still, if you live in thecity of Columbus, that's your
money.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
I have heard people out there saying they need to
send Roderick instead.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Well, I mean, they need to send Roderick instead,
and they need to go at a moreopportune time, which is going
to be after he takes officeanyway, that's right.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Dc is not exactly in the mood to be shelling out
funds right now, right.
To put it rightly Right, allright.
Well, you're listening toBetween the Headlines with Zach
and David.
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I want to let you know about aforum that will be with all
three of the mayoral candidatesMr Stephen Jones, mr Darren
Leach and Mr Bill Strauss.
That is May 27th at the Lyceumat Lee, from 6 to 7 30.
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All three have agreed to bethere and you will want to
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No cost for that ticket, butreserve that ticket at
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This forum is sponsored by theDispatch and by the Lyceum at
Lee All right.
Next on the agenda today wehave a late-breaking news item,
(10:48):
that is, a complaint.
Jamie Garrett, the name on thetop of this complaint levied
against Mayor Gaskin, datedFebruary 13th Is that correct?
I believe that's right.
Yes, all right.
What is?
Speaker 1 (11:01):
this, yes, okay.
So now, first of all, thecomplaint made a couple months
ago.
This is something that in theaforementioned rant from Mickens
about how terrible Keith is, hejust kind of drops into the
conversation that there was thiscomplaint.
Shortly after that conversationI had that complaint in my hand
(11:23):
and you know it's on CityLetterhead.
It's signed by Jamie.
Everybody confirms that ithappened and all involved
parties spoke to it to someextent.
Essentially, it's saying thatduring all of that mess with
Susan Wilder, the grantadministrator, when Keith told
(11:44):
her to file for that grant,whether the council approved it
or not, the council had notapproved it.
She applied for it anyway.
And then she gets called in onthe carpet.
Well, so Jamie is in charge ofposting the special meeting that
two councilmen had called andduring that entire process,
through that entire day, shekind of this complaint kind of
takes through what she sees asher experience through that
(12:06):
entire day, which shows of thiscomplaint kind of takes through
what she sees as her experiencethrough that entire day which
shows the mayor you know as aspetulant.
She calls him intimidating,bullying, pounding the table at
one point while you know she'strying to explain something to
him and he's not wanting toaccept that information and that
(12:27):
it created a hostile workenvironment at City Hall for her
.
And she wrote up this complaintand posted it to initially
posted it to the agenda for thecouncil to discuss, I guess
during executive session of ameeting, and then it got pulled
down and it was neverreaddressed and I don't think
anybody intended for it to eversurface and Keith's response to
(12:51):
this was he put together like aclass to teach the staff.
Let's get to that in a second.
So I want to go back to thiscomplaint and I want to be very
clear.
I'm not commenting on whether Ithink the specific allegations
in the complaint are true itwasn't't there but I will say
that the narrative is prettyreflective of keith's behavior
(13:12):
in at least 50 of theconversations I've had with the
man over the last four years.
That looks very similar to howhe acts when he's talking to me,
hell sometimes when he's on hispress conferences that are on
video.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Well, he's definitely an emotionally driven character
he is he's?
Definitely, shall we say,passionate, yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Well, there's something else that he is as
well you know, and to talk aboutthe 50 conversations that I've
had with him or so, that havelooked very much like what Jamie
wrote down in this complaint,two of them we had with him
yesterday.
So I mean one of them aboutthis subject and to your point
that you brought up a while ago,I think the fact that Keith
(13:53):
responded to Jamie Levy in thiscomplaint by bringing in a
lawyer to City Hall to haveclasses to mansplain what a
hospital work environmentactually is and how he wasn't
creating one.
That shows the exact level ofself-awareness from Keith we've
all come to know and love overthe last four years.
I cannot remember a time,publicly or privately, where
(14:16):
he's recognized any fault he hasin a situation, and when he
does start to own it it's alwayscouched in a but so-and-so is
worse or such-and-such did ittoo.
And the thing about it is whenI'm having those conversations
with him I can leave.
They end.
I go on about my business andabout my day.
You're not on the payroll.
(14:37):
Yeah, if just what I've seenyou know, the complaint aside if
just what I've seen is whatCity Hall is like day to day, I
couldn't work there.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I don't know.
To me, I think, the whole ideaof a hostile work environment is
often over-touted.
I'm looking at this and I'mthinking okay, did Keith Gaskin
raise his voice?
I don't care.
Did Keith Gaskin use words thatone may not hear in Sunday
school?
I still don't care.
(15:11):
Did Keith Gaskin smash a saladbowl against the wall?
Okay, well, yeah, let's talkabout that.
You know, at what point are wereally getting over the line
into what actually creates ahostile work environment?
Speaker 1 (15:25):
A culture of berating employees is a hostile work
environment which started withthe council right, well, yeah,
that kind of bleeds over intoCity Hall To say that Keith is
doing it and the council is notwould be entirely unfair.
The council has created ahostile work environment for
employees for at least this pastterm, and look no further than
(15:49):
Kenny Weigel and Susan Wilderfor more information.
But you know, and that's anotherthing, I mean this, this sort
of outlines and what we alreadyknew about Susan Wilder, that
whole mess with that grant andKeith put them in a a terrible
position.
Not only to put susan in aterrible position of I know what
(16:12):
the council said, but I don'tcare, apply for it anyway, and
then putting garrett in aposition where she had to.
She, she had to take thecouncil's direction to call for
this special meeting and thenshe had to hear she had to catch
hell from Keith for doing herjob.
Like that particular situationfor both of those ladies was
(16:35):
just like I'd have called insick.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Let me ask you I get that, I do.
Let me ask you this Do youthink that there is a way for
the sitting mayor of Columbus toavoid carrying the stress of
city council meetings into cityhall?
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Self-awareness self-reflection, introspective
and knowing and being able toown.
Hey, I made a mistake in thismoment.
Hey, I maybe shouldn't have.
Like, he denied the allegationsin the complaint.
You know, obviously he's talkedto everybody or had somebody
(17:20):
else talk to him.
I wasn't really creating ahostile work environment because
, definitionally, blah, blah,blah, blah, blah.
I mean he's basically saying Idon't like your vocabulary,
jamie, so your entire argumentis invalid.
You can't tell somebody howthey feel.
And she felt a certain way andhe did not seem at any point,
including yesterday, toacknowledge that she might have
(17:42):
felt that way validly.
And that has been.
When you talk about hisrelationship with the council,
when you talk about hisrelationship, obviously, with
his employees, when you talkabout his relationship with the
media, when you talk about, youknow, just the day to day,
that's been his Achilles heelsince he took office.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
I get that and most of that sounds feelings based,
which is unfortunate, but I seea lot of this as being policy
based.
Ok, case in point at the lastcouncil meeting, what did the
council need to do?
They needed to hire peopleimmediately to get in there in
the accounting department, wherethe people are running around
(18:22):
like chickens with no heads,they can't write checks, they're
making mistakes, but no, let'sput that off.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Well, and they did hire one of them.
That's kind of stressful, zach.
Well, I mean, I understand that, I understand that, and the
fact that they were going tokick both of those to July was
kind of weird.
And they course, corrected onthat and actually hired one of
them, the one that they didn'thire.
There's a pretty good reasonwhy they didn't hire that person
right now, and even Keithadmits that that's something
(18:52):
that they need to look into.
But you're the mayor.
And that doesn't make you nothuman, that doesn't make you
above getting to have feelings.
But because you're the mayor,that doesn't mean that the
people around you who disagreewith you aren't entitled to
(19:13):
those either, and that is thedynamic that Keith has never
particularly let resonate withhim, and that's frustrating.
But there's one more point onthis that I want to point out,
and it's on Jamie Garrett's side.
I feel bad for her that thiscame out.
I really do, because it was nota public document in the
(19:34):
conventional sense.
It was an official documentthat she wrote on city
letterhead, but it was somethingthat didn't necessarily have to
come to light, but it did.
But I don't really know whatshe was thinking.
Keith is not a city employee,he's an elected official.
So the council doesn't have anyfiring or hiring power over him
(19:54):
, can't discipline him.
So this report was supposed tohave.
She was calling out to somebody, specifically to the council
and to the HR director, tointervene on her behalf with
Keith.
That's what the complaint saysthat she was trying to do.
She intended for this to havean impact on Keith and she
(20:15):
didn't write it in a rage.
The incident happened on the 6th.
She wrote it a week later.
So it was intentional to havean impact on Keith positive,
negative, whatever, fair orunfair.
She wanted it to have an impacton Keith positive, negative,
whatever fair or unfair.
She wanted it to have an impacton Keith.
But she wrote it down and sheshared it with who the council,
many of whom are his politicalopponents or enemies or people
(20:39):
who have political beef with himand she did it during an
election season.
Anytime you write something,anytime you write something down
and share it, you lose acertain amount of stewardship of
that document.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
What an understatement yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
So the council or council members or other people
had this document and you havestewardship of what you have
possession of.
It's ammunition, it's ammunition.
And so, during this politicalseason, ammunition, it's
ammunition.
And so, during this politicalseason, did she not think that,
handing these people a cannon toshoot at Keith, that they
weren't going to shoot it?
I'm shocked that I hadn'tgotten this in my hand prior to
(21:17):
now, and I think that if Keithwas running for mayor, I would
have you know, I think thetiming of this, as you say, is
very unfortunate.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
And the timing of it, just in my view of things,
makes it, at the end of the day,closer to being chicken scratch
and something to really get ina twist over.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
That's just my opinion.
Right, and I mean to be fair toJamie.
She said their problems havebeen resolved.
They've worked through them.
I believe her.
I think they're working finetogether.
She says they problems havebeen resolved, they've worked
through them.
I believe her.
I think they're working finetogether.
She says they're working finetogether.
She's embarrassed that it cameto light.
But when it comes down to it atthe end of the day and I
appreciate the fact that they'veworked through their whatever
they were going through andthey're working together fine
(22:01):
now but at the end of the dayshe wrote this down, she put it
on city letterhead and shesigned it and she shared it with
people who had the politicalonus to share it publicly.
And that is a mistake on herpart, I believe.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
All right, I have a bonus rant.
If I have time to throw this inhere, I'm looking at the city
council meeting last night andthe request for the rezoning of
the former First Baptist Churchbuilding, and it was what's the
gentleman's name?
Mr Vincent Raposada.
(22:39):
By unanimous consent of thecity planning commission, let's
rezone it, okay.
Well, what's he want to do?
Executive apartments, 15 ofthem.
Very nice Office space, 81,000square feet total.
What does our leadership do?
We've got Mickens.
(22:59):
He wants to ask what the addressof this place is.
He doesn't know what's going on.
It's First Baptist Church.
It's been there 200 years.
Come on, stuart asks is there aplace to park?
Again, it's First BaptistChurch.
There's a public parking lotright across the street.
Well, and they've got 140parking places behind it.
(23:21):
And then Jones, he's askingokay, what guarantee do we have
that this will remain a high end?
Well, the guarantee is that wehave good leadership in city
council.
That's the only guarantee wehave on this stuff.
I think the efforts of VinceRaposada are met with unthanks
(23:44):
and I think that's unfortunateare met with unthanks, and I
think that's unfortunate.
I think he should get a rose inthe dispatch and, frankly, I
think a thorn is in order.
No-transcript, all right, atthis time.
We now have the ExecutiveDirector of the United Way, Ms
Renee Sanders, and alongside herhere is Lieutenant Rhonda
(24:07):
Sanders from the CommunityBenefit Committee.
Welcome, ladies and the LowndesCounty.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Sheriff's Office.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
Oh yeah, that's right , good morning.
Speaker 7 (24:14):
Good morning.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
So just to open up.
Have you been feeling, ms Renee, the squeeze from Light Doge?
Has big balls knocked on yourdoor.
How is that stuff going Took a?
Speaker 4 (24:27):
minute, but it rolled on down we were keeping an eye
on that, though, from thebeginning, but didn't realize it
was going to hit as hard as itdid and overnight the way that
it did.
No warning, no official warningand really no official heads up
as to what's going on.
No clarity.
That's the problem.
Like we are finding out thingsfrom the news outlet, but how do
(24:52):
you make real decisions in yourcommunity with these workers
based off of a news article?
That's just not the right wayto make a decision.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
And the AmeriCorps Vistas that you guys have.
We did a story a while backwhere I think it was last week,
where a lot of Starkvilleorganizations they lost theirs
and they got notification.
Have y'all got thatnotification yet?
Have not, and how many do y'allhave when y'all's organization?
Speaker 4 (25:20):
We have the ability to house three this year, nine
last year.
And just for clarity, vistaVolunteers in Service to America
is the federal program that wehave been receiving funds from
the federal government forseveral years in Columbus.
A lot of people didn't know,but in our community in Lowndes
County, we had the ability tohouse three to currently have
(25:45):
locations, and so that's one atContact Helpline and then
there's one at the GenTechCenter in West Point,
Mississippi, and the third seatis open.
We were about to fill that seat, but you have to.
There's a certain time that youcan actually have an individual
to fill it.
You just can't fill it the daythat you want to.
(26:06):
They give you guidelines on howto do that.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Okay, and backing up here a little bit, just starting
with you, Renee, just shortbreakdown of what United Way
does y'all service area and kindof what, that sort of thing.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
It's taken me 10 years.
This is my 10th year.
I don't know if you guys knewthat 10 years I've been with
United Way.
Can't believe it, but it'staken me 10 years to articulate
this one statement of whatUnited Way is, because that's
the one question that people askall the time what is United Way
and what do you do?
So here we are.
We are a multidimensional,volunteer-led, multi-dimensional
volunteer led nonprofit thatoversees donor dollars with
(26:45):
integrity.
We raise the money to give itto agencies like Rhonda or the
22 that are currently housed,and all of our agencies have to
apply and everyone submits anapplication and we have a team
of volunteers that go out andthey vet those applicants.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
And so in their local nonprofits in the seven
counties that I now serve.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
So when I started I was the United Way of Lowndes
County and now with the UnitedWay the Golden Triangle region,
serving Clay, choctaw, attiba,winston Webster, lowndes and
Knoxville.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Rhonda, with the Community Bene benefit committee
and other things that you touchthrough the sheriff's office.
From a philanthropy standpoint,kind of explain y'all's role
through that committee andthrough the sheriff's office.
Speaker 7 (27:34):
Okay, the community benefit committee we are a team
of seven now started off with 10commitment committee members
throughout the community.
We have um professors fromcolleges, social workers, um
people who work in differentagencies throughout the
(27:54):
community that basically cangive opinions and, um, you know,
deal with the people here inLowndes County.
So we're a nonprofit that wascreated by me and my husband.
We decided that we were goingto start a nonprofit to benefit,
(28:14):
really, police offices at firstbecause we had so many police
officers, believe it or not,that were in need and would have
like crises.
The first thing we did was wehad a police officer's house to
burn and I don't know if peopleknow this, but we don't make
(28:35):
much money.
Speaker 4 (28:35):
What You've got to be kidding.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
I thought police were rolling Right.
Speaker 7 (28:39):
I thought police were rolling Right.
So with the little insurancethat he had and three kids he
really couldn't afford to getback what he could and I kind of
(29:03):
watched him go through that.
Being a female officer, we getto know a little more about our
guys because they feel like theycan come in and kind of talk to
us about you know differentstuff.
Well, after we got in there andwe started our first fundraiser
to help this guy out it was abig need within the blue
community, so not just helpingcity police officers, we just
spread it to help any policeofficer that really was in need.
Well, we got out there in thecommunity really needed some
(29:26):
help.
Right.
So in about two years from that, we built a board, became all
legit and did all this stuff andwe just started going out in
the community and helping wherewe could.
We do Christmas for babiesbabies, we do.
(29:46):
Turkeys we um help people umthat's lacking in their homes,
um, we do we.
It's not just written rules onwho we help, right, we help
people by need well, how didy'all get involved?
I guess in the little pantrieswell, um, some ladies decided
that they were going to start apantry down I think the first
(30:06):
one was down by the soccercomplex and we started getting
calls and stuff and you know,and we started feeling it and we
saw that it was a need.
So we decided to partner withthe sheriff's office where I
work.
So we decided to partner withthe sheriff's office where I
work, went in and talked to thesheriff and said what about if
we put some of these in thecounty?
(30:28):
Because we didn't have any inthe county.
Well, it grew from putting oneand two in the county until we
have 30 today throughout thecounty and the city.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
And how quickly?
How often are y'all actuallygetting those filled up by
people and how often are theyempty and out?
We?
Speaker 7 (30:44):
try.
Oh, very quick.
We try to fill them twice aweek.
Mr Pete, who passed, would helpme get the food and take it out
with the trustees, but now,since he passed, I get in this
big van and me and the trustees,we go out and we fill it every
two times a week.
That's if we have it now.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
Right, and that's that's the next question I was
going to ask both of you guys.
Like you know, we were talkingabout more institutional funding
, federal funding, federal help,the doge cuts and different
things like that.
But what's happening withprivate donations locally that
y'all have seen in a trend?
Speaker 7 (31:29):
My thing that I see is different generations.
We were in my generation, wewere givers.
We were born and we knew whenyou give, you're blessed.
So we were givers thisgeneration not so.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
We're talking about millennials or the younger, like
that.
Speaker 7 (31:55):
Yes, yes, some of them are givers because their
families teach them.
Me I have three kids.
I teach my kids to be kind andto give A lot of these young
generations.
They don't.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Do you think that it might be symptomatic the fact
that you need so many foodpantries and they're emptying
out so often that you're sort ofMaslow's hierarchy of needs is?
Do they have it to give that?
Speaker 7 (32:21):
is Maslow's hierarchy of needs is do they have it to
give that?
That?
That is, some do have it andthey choose to do different.
See, when I was growing up, weknew that we were supposed to
(32:43):
tie and we were supposed to give10 percent of our earnings.
That's what that was, somethingthat was instilled in us, right
.
That's what that's wassomething that was instilled in
us, right, and we knew that wewere supposed to help people who
didn't have food and we knew weneeded to help clothe people.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
Parents are not teaching our kids that these
days have, to a certain extent,relied upon government programs
excessively, to the point thatwhen they get withdrawn that you
know that it's like.
Well, I'm accustomed to havingthis safety net to fall on and
therefore, why do I need to give?
Speaker 7 (33:17):
Do you think that?
Speaker 3 (33:19):
plays into it.
I think so.
Yeah, I think so.
Well, what can we do?
I want to help.
I want to turn this thingaround, renee.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
Nice.
I was speaking with someonejust a moment ago about the
number one reason people do notgive.
The number one reason peopledon't give they were never axed
Right.
However, the number one reasonpeople do give is because they
were axed, and a Facebook postis not an ask.
(33:48):
You have got to talk to thepeople and I think with the
younger generation, they want tosee something Right.
They don't want to give to acause like this program.
These individuals work behindthe scene.
United Way.
We're behind the scene.
People always call and want toknow what we do, but we're
behind the scene raising moneyto give it to agencies.
(34:10):
They don't really want to helpthat because they can't see it.
And the number one reason thatthey do want to help they want
to get involved.
They want to be hands on.
I have seen Rhonda give out acall for remember when we wanted
to raise the water.
We were in the water crisis andwe were talking about how many
cases of water Initially?
Yeah, but initially we talkedabout doing like a hundred cases
(34:33):
and then we went to a thousandcases and then this lady fills
up an 18 wheeler.
People will do that.
They want to see something andget involved.
But when you start, asking fordollars.
Speaker 7 (34:50):
That's a whole different ask right, and most
people want something in returnin return.
So our best fundraisers arelike the hunting house.
Guess what?
Speaker 1 (34:54):
you pay ten dollars and you're gonna you get to
experience something and helpsomebody and help someone at the
same time.
Speaker 7 (35:01):
But people want you to be transparent with their
dollars and that's why I like toshow people where their money
is going.
If I raise five thousanddollars, you better believe
you're going to see it, becauseit's proof in the pudding right
there.
Speaker 3 (35:18):
That's very good, because a lot of people are
leery of non-profitorganizations that are not
transparent, particularly theones that have heavy
administrative fees that somehowget tucked away and that makes
people nervous.
Speaker 7 (35:31):
Trust me, we get paid .
Not one zero, not a dollar.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
So I want to go, I want to bank left from David's
question to you all ago.
Without United Way, without theCommunity Benefit Committee and
the other things that you guysdo, what happens?
Speaker 4 (35:51):
Well, I think a lot of people think that we're
federally funded and we aretalking about.
A portion of what we do comesfrom federal funds.
Every time I speak, I tellpeople we are not federally
funded.
You can't even imagine what theVISTAs were making.
They just made enough forpoverty level.
We didn't even call theirpayment a salary, it was a
(36:14):
stipend and at the end of theterm then they had options to
get funds to pay back a studentloan or they could get like
$1,500 as a cash out option.
But it was just barely enoughfor them to make it.
And, like I said, in our areawe just had three VISTAs.
In the Starkville communitythere were way more VISTAs and
(36:37):
they felt that need.
They're feeling it a lot harderthan we are right now at this
time, but I want the communityto know that we are not
federally funded.
We don't write that that's notthe bread and butter of what we
do.
This community is the bread andbutter, like if the community
doesn't give, then we don'texist.
(36:58):
Don't exist whether that'sfinancially giving or if that's
physically giving of the pantry.
Without the community, there isno.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
there's no help, Right, and so to get to get to
that, the second part of thatquestion.
Okay, you don't exist.
Speaker 4 (37:13):
Then what?
Speaker 1 (37:13):
who suffers and how is that suffering?
Speaker 7 (37:16):
How's that suffering take place?
Yeah, people, kids, they suffer.
Speaker 4 (37:20):
So true.
Speaker 7 (37:21):
And these are nonprofits, Like she said, 10
years I've been in lawenforcement.
For 29 years People don't writeyou a check because they just
say, okay, she's the police orshe's this.
These are years and years ofrelationship I built and truly
(37:43):
become a lot of my donors.
We're like family.
They give because I'mtransparent with the
organization very transparentand they give because they trust
us.
And they've seen the results andthey've seen the results and
people want results with theirmoney.
That's our older donors thepeople who Know that they're
(38:07):
going to give to a certain causeevery year.
And this is what happened, andwe produced.
Speaker 4 (38:13):
David, can I go back to something that you touched on
a little bit about?
I think you were talking aboutthe givers really not having
access to give the funds thefinancial ability to give, I
think you kind of mentionedasked the question about that,
mentioned asked the questionabout that and what I've learned
(38:33):
about individuals on.
When I go speak to people aboutgiving, I ask them now not to
try to add United Way to theiralready tight budget, because
all of us are feeling the costof eggs.
I don't care you know where youare now or how much money
you're making.
Eggs still cost $8 and $11,right, and for some that's
harder to purchase than others.
However, I'm asking people notto add me to their current
(38:55):
budget.
Don't do that.
What I want you to do is look atyour current budget and if you
are eating out more than twice amonth, whoops if you're eating
out more than twice a month,take one of those meals and stay
home and then give that amountto one of these agencies.
(39:17):
And here's the number onereason that you should give to
United Way.
But I have I 100% supportanything that Rhonda does.
If she calls, I look at myphone and say, oh, that's Rhonda
, let me see what she needs.
And so I am 100% behind her.
She is not a United Way agency,but anytime I can find a way to
support her, I do that.
Anytime I can find food orvolunteers that are needing to
(39:40):
get something done, I point themher direction.
But the number one reason youshould give to United Way it's
taken me 10 years to articulatethis too we give stability to
the agencies under our umbrella.
This too we give stability tothe agencies under our umbrella.
Every month, they know thatthey're going to get their
dollars donated or dropped intotheir bank account on the 15th
of every month.
It allows them to createprograms and not have to wonder
(40:01):
where their funds are going togo, versus an individual that
writes a check every now andthen and if something happens
and they have a flat tire,they're going to take your
donation and take care of theflat and you don't know.
So the stability of giving theUnited Way the monthly donation,
a reoccurring donation to givethe United Way allows me to give
stability to agencies.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Okay, All right.
So how to give?
How do you give to theCommunity Benefit Committee?
How do you give to United?
Speaker 7 (40:30):
Way, we have Cash App and we have PayPal for Benefit
Committee, or you can write acheck, you can inbox our
organization.
We're on Facebook and JanieShields is our treasurer and she
(40:51):
will be glad to take yourdonation.
Speaker 4 (40:53):
Absolutely, we're located at 362 Park Creek Drive
off of Blue Cut Road.
I said the number one reason.
Another reason not the numberone, but another reason people
would not give to United Waysbecause they didn't believe that
we were here.
They couldn't see us, and youdon't support what you don't see
.
So I really wanted thatlocation, or a location to be
(41:14):
visible.
And now we are visible off ofBlue Cut Road so you can swing
by our new office, check it out,write a check, bring some cash.
You can do all the other formswe do.
Payroll deduction.
That's not our bread and butteranymore.
Payroll deduction is if yourcompany will allow your
employees to give from theirpaycheck before they even get
(41:34):
their check.
That used to be the bread andbutter of United Way.
It's not anymore.
And then we have a hugefundraiser.
Can I say this?
Can I talk about it?
My huge fundraiser is our 50Kgiveaway.
This is going to be our thirdyear to give away $50,000.
And somebody said, renee, howare you going to give away
$50,000.
And somebody said, renee, howare you going to give away
$50,000?
I said I'm going to selltickets.
I'm going to sell 3,000 tickets.
(41:56):
That's my goal this year.
We're going to give away thefunds on September the 4th.
You have four opportunities, asan individual, to win $10,000.
So you buy a ticket for $100.
Well, excuse me, correction.
You buy a ticket for for $100.
Well, excuse me, correction.
You buy a ticket for just $100.
And then you have fouropportunities to win $10,000.
(42:18):
The fifth $10,000 I'm settingaside strategically for a
nonprofit, a church, a boosterclub.
And if a church or a nonprofitwill sell 10 tickets help me by
selling 10 tickets Then theirname will go on a separate
drawing and they will have theopportunity to win $10,000.
Last year we had 15 agenciesjust 15 agencies that had the
(42:41):
opportunity to win 10 grand.
So we're going to do that samething again this year.
So our 50K giveaway.
Speaker 1 (42:45):
Okay, all right.
Anything either of you guyswant to add?
Speaker 7 (42:49):
No, all right, anything either.
You guys want to add no, but Iwant to remind everybody that we
have 30 food pantriesthroughout Lowndes County.
We also house food at thesheriff's office.
If you want to drop off at thelobby and we will distribute it
as needed, please do so.
Donate to the community benefitcommittee, go to our Facebook
(43:13):
page, follow us and see what wedo in the community Also a big
program I wanted to tell you wegive beds.
We've given over 500 beds tochildren, partnering with
Ashley's Furniture throughoutLowndes County.
Now police officer deputies gointo homes.
They identify children who'ssleeping on the floor throughout
(43:36):
Lowndes County.
Even if the city policeofficers do this, let me know
and we are purchasing these kidsbrand new beds and the linen
that goes on the bed.
We're doing a lot of stuff.
Just go to our Facebook pagetwo minute and we'll be here all
day.
Speaker 1 (43:54):
Well, thank you all very much for joining us today.
Speaker 3 (44:01):
Thank you for having us.
Thank you, thank you, ladies.
You have been listening toBetween the Headlines.
Our guests today have beenRenee with United Way and
Lieutenant Rhonda Sanders withthe Community Benefit Committee.
That will do it.
We want to thank our listenersfor joining in today.
Be sure to subscribe, rate andshare, and send us your comments
.
We would love to hear from you.
Tips at cdispatchcom Again,that is, tips at cdispatchcom.
(44:23):
You can also follow me onFacebook or x at the Chisholm 00
.
Signing off until next weekfrom Catfish Alley Studios in
historic downtown Columbus,right across from the newly
placed marker in honor of DrEmmett J Stringer.
Your host has been Zach Playerand I am David Chisholm.
(44:44):
Until next time, y'all keep itfriendly and we will keep it
real.
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