Xavier Bishop

At a meeting of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the City of Moss Point, Mississippi held on February 20, 2008, a Resolution or Order was passed by a majority vote of the Aldermen to suspend rather than terminate (Employees A and B) for violating the City’s policy on illegal drug use and/or drug possession. Please accept this written statement as a “veto” by the Mayor, for said Board actions, pursuant to the terms of Section 21-3-15, Mississippi Code of 1972.

My objections to said actions are simply this: 

The City has in place policies that govern the conduct and performance of its employees while performing their duties during their tenure of employment. These policies exist for the benefit of the employee and the City to provide a mutual understanding of the code of conduct that is deemed acceptable for continued employment with the City of Moss Point. Similarly the consequence of unacceptable performance is outlined within the handbook so that every employee knows in advance what fate awaits improper conduct.

Our employee handbook was passed and approved by this Board and indeed labored over by its members for the sole purpose of making clear to everyone what is and what is not acceptable performance, and the standards by which every employee will be measured.  As such the conduct of the two employees suspended by the Board falls clearly on the side of undesirable behavior as spelled out in the employee handbook, with the consequence of their actions made unambiguously clear. 

Therefore in its deliberation on February 19, the Board had little to do but to validate the consequence spelled out in the employee handbook.  It failed to do its job.

With this veto I hereby remand this matter back to the Board for reconsideration for compliance with the penalty spelled out in the employee handbook.

Respectfully submitted,

Xavier Z. Bishop

Mayor, City of Moss Point