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Pierre Beard and Bobby Johnson, candidates for Columbus Ward 4, square off in a heated debate about the ward's present condition and future direction. The incumbent Beard defends his record of progress while challenger Johnson paints a bleaker picture of a neglected area needing new leadership.

• Beard is asked about his brushes with the law and draws a distinction between his personal life and his record on the council.
• Beard pushes back on suggestions Ward 4 is in worse shape than other wards while Johnson agrees it is a "warzone."
• Both agree on the need for better youth intervention programs to address crime
• Columbus Police Department staffing has improved but remains below capacity at 49 officers out of 55 budgeted positions
• Debate reveals stark contrasts in candidates' views of the city's administration effectiveness
• Johnson advocates for making CPD officers the highest paid in the Golden Triangle
• Beard emphasizes his independence from party affiliation as a strength

The election will be held on June 3, and voters can also attend the upcoming mayoral forum on May 27 at 6pm.

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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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Pastor Darren Leach, independent mayoral candidate endorsed by incumbent Mayor Keith Gaskin, shares his vision for implementing data-driven management and transparent metrics for Columbus city departments. Through his unique combination of engineering expertise and community service experience, Leach aims to rebuild neighborhoods while fostering unity among city leadership.

• Creating clear performance indicators for all city departments to ensure accountability and transparency
• Approaching infrastructure challenges with systematic analysis rather than quick fixes
• Building consensus through open communication with council members before presenting ideas
• Redeveloping the Kerr-McGee site through public-private partnerships while preventing gentrification
• Bringing nonprofit experience of "making bricks without straw" to city government
• Differentiating from Mayor Gaskin through more active communication while maintaining similar goals

This episode also features Barbara Bigelow and Amber Brislin discussing the upcoming Market Street Festival, highlighting changes to this year's layout while maintaining all the traditional festival elements.

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Robert Smith, former Columbus mayor and current president of the Columbus Municipal School District, offers insights on local education, environmental concerns, and city politics while reflecting on his own leadership philosophy.

• CMSD faces another superintendent search after Dr. Ellis' unexpected resignation
• The district has improved to a B rating but continues struggling with declining enrollment, dropping from 5,100 to around 3,000 students
• Franklin Academy's future remains undecided though local businessmen have expressed interest in redevelopment
• The R.E. Hunt renovation is nearly complete with a grand opening planned for July
• How Smith navigated Columbus' weak-mayor, strong-council government system
• Robert Smith discusses his relationships with Leroy Brooks and his mayoral endorsement of Stephen Jones
• Smith's thoughts on his legacy

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Columbus residents are expressing outrage over a $14,300 concrete barrier installed on Military Road, designed as a traffic-calming "chicane" that has become a flashpoint for debate about public safety and infrastructure spending. Meanwhile, Link CEO Joe Max Higgins takes the mall owners to task for their failure to fulfill tax incentive obligations for Columbus Place development.

• Bill Strauss discusses his mayoral platform and strategies for addressing neighborhood blight
• Columbus currently falling behind on projected sales tax revenue while Starkville shows 10% growth
• Concerns about respectful dialogue between Columbus City Council members as elections approach

Remember to vote on June 3rd! Your participation matters in determining the future of Columbus leadership.

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Columbus's streets transformed into rivers this past weekend, with some residents requiring boat evacuations from their homes—a stark reminder of the city's ongoing drainage crisis. But as local officials reveal in this eye-opening episode, this flooding disaster might have been preventable.

Mayor Keith Gaskin pulls no punches as he details how Columbus left millions in potential watershed funding on the table. While the city secured $6 million (including matching funds) for drainage projects, they could have leveraged their entire ARPA allocation for $11.6 million. Even more staggering, had the city and county collaborated as encouraged by the Lieutenant Governor, the community could have secured a transformative $34 million for comprehensive watershed improvements.

City Engineer Kevin Stafford provides crucial technical context about Columbus's unique geographic challenges, explaining how the city functions like a bowl between two rivers. Using detailed watershed maps, he illustrates how the Luxapalila Creek's massive drainage basin—covering an area 1.5 times larger than Lowndes County—creates conditions where water literally flows backward into certain neighborhoods during heavy rains.

Zack and David analyze the political dimensions of infrastructure decisions, prompting Zack to invoke his father's wisdom: "The guilty dog always barks the most and the loudest."

The guys also laugh about an April Fools joke played on the city by the area's preeminent historian.

Subscribe, share your thoughts, or send us your flooding stories at tips@cdispatch.com.

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The political landscape of Columbus shifted dramatically during the recent primaries, with established figures falling to challengers who promised change. Most notably, Stephen Jones defeated political veteran Leroy Brooks in the Democratic mayoral primary, signaling voters' desire for fresh leadership despite Brooks out-raising Jones three-to-one.

Brooks's campaign strategy backfired as he leaned too heavily on past accomplishments, telling voters to "ask your father" about his contributions while promising miracle solutions. Meanwhile, Jones successfully cast himself as youthful and forward-thinking.

The election wasn't without bizarre incidents – a ballot box became unavailable when it was left in a repossessed vehicle, causing delays at one precinct and raising questions about election security. This sparked debate about whether Columbus has too many polling locations and how to balance accessibility with logistical efficiency.

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Campaign finance revelations and heated candidate exchanges dominate this eye-opening exploration of Columbus politics. The stark financial disparities between mayoral candidates—Leroy Brooks amassing nearly $30,000 to Stephen Jones' $11,000—sets the stage for a fascinating discussion about what money really means in local elections.

Zack and David analyze a viral Facebook post from an MSMS teacher. Her courageous decision to speak out has galvanized attention statewide, highlighting how students' perspectives (93% preferring to remain at MUW) have been largely ignored in decisions affecting their education.

The heart of the episode features an unfiltered conversation with Ward 2 candidates Joseph Mickens and Roderick Smith. Their contrasting approaches—Mickens leaning on his four terms of experience and infrastructure accomplishments versus Smith's vision of being "a bridge between youth and city officials"—perfectly capture the fundamental choice Columbus voters face: proven experience or fresh perspective?

Tensions rise when discussing absentee ballot practices, city finances, and the fractured relationship between council and mayor. Mickens boldly defends the city's financial position ($10 million in reserves) while addressing past controversies, including public confrontations with city employees. Smith counters with priorities focused on public safety and fostering unity between city and county leadership.