SUPES PRESIDENT
Credit: WCBI
Duration:
0 shares
1 views
Trip hairston is set to take over as president of the lowndes county board of supervisors on monday.
He will inherit a fractured board.
But as wcbi's stephen pimpo learned today, hairston is looking to the future.
Stephen joins us in studio with more...stephen?
Sitting down to talk with trip hairston, he expressed his desire to move forward.
Long mired by controversy, hairston told me he hopes the lowndes county board of supervisors can get back to being known for their commitment, rather than their conflict.
"he's only been here 10 months and for them to just promote him to the head of the table and try to justify it is just racist."
That was the reaction of district 5 supervisor leroy brooks after the lowndes county board of supervisors voted to appoint district 2 supervisor trip hairston as the board's new president.
Now the most junior member of the governing body is set to take over a board that has been embroiled in controversy.
Stephen: "when john holliman first approached you and he told you, 'hey, we are going to nominate you for this position,' what was your reaction?"
"i knew that it would be a challenge, especially presiding over the meeting, especially where things are currently at the moment and i was up for the challenge."
That challenge is to unite a board that has long been divided by racial tension.
It was in june that district 1 supervisor harry sanders stepped down as president after making racist public remarks to a columbus newspaper.
On october 5th, brooks motioned to elect district 4 supervisor jeff smith, but that vote was tabled.
The board elected hairston 10 days later.
Stephen: "supervisor brooks and others in the community have accused the board of systemic racism, lack of representation and putting african americans in positions of leadership and they maybe see this as another example of that, how would you address those concerns?"
"the decision for me to serve in the capacity that i am serving in as president of the board for me was not based on a racial decision at all.
That played no part in that.
It was more of a political affiliation than anything else for me."
Brooks and smith, both democrats, voted against hairston who is republican.
The board of supervisors has not had an african american president since 2004.
"it's unfortunate that this has become more of a racial conversation than anything else and again, i'd like to get beyond that and find ways that we can work together."
Hairston knows there are questions about his experience but believes his short tenure can actually serve as an advantage.
áááácut this question if it is too longáááástephen: "can you understand the criticism and what is your response to that?"
"i certainly can understand the criticism.
However i do think that me being the junior- most member of the board, has fewer axes to grind, so to speak."
He hopes that lack of bias can help him bring the board together so they can act on some of the main issues facing lowndes county "we're not going to see eye-to-eye on everything and we're not always going to agree.
But at least we'll be pushing in the same direction."
Hairston tells me he hopes to focus on economic development, including a large site out near the airport that's being developed.
The