By Josh
Troy Clarksdale Advocate
Two outgoing Coahoma County Board of Supervisors received awards for their service at a community lunch organized by the Road Department on Thursday. Coahoma County Road Manager Otis Griffin presented the awards to Board President Johnny Newson, who represents District 4, and Roosevelt Lee, who represents District 5. Newson’s wife, Wilhelmenia, and Lee’s wife, Katherine, were with them as they accepted the awards. Newson has been a Supervisor for 20 years, and Lee has served for four years.
Jesse Harris will succeed Newson, and Will Young, a Supervisor from 2015 to 2019, will succeed Lee. Harris and Young will take office on January 1, 2024. Griffin organized the lunch at the Road Department to celebrate Thanksgiving, and the entire community was invited. He used the opportunity to honor Newson and Lee for their service.
“When you’re the President, that means you’re the one that’s our front,” said Griffin of Newson. “Therefore, after I looked and tried to find out how many years, it said 20 years.” Newson acknowledged the County employees. “Even though I served for 20 years, I served you all for 20 years,” he said. “I want to let you all know I really appreciate everything that you all did for me, for the community. Like I always said, I can’t do it by myself, and as I look around, I see all the people here.
“We can’t do it by ourselves. You all are the frontrunners and the leaders to make sure that this County goes. So I want to let you know I appreciate everything you all did.” Newson named different offices throughout Coahoma County that help make things run. He talked about the unified effort of Griffin and City of Clarksdale Public Works Director Craig Amerson to make sure the roads are taken care of.
“The City and the County came together to do some magnificent things,” Newson said. “We discovered that the City needed our help, and we discovered also that we needed the City’s help.” Griffin had the opportunity to get to know Lee over the past four years. “Mr. Lee, before he ever became Supervisor, I didn’t even know who he was,” Griffin said. “I’ve heard two or three times about the name, but I didn’t know. But I think that we’ve had a very good working relationship. Therefore, the road department wants to give him this plaque.”
Lee also thanked everyone he has worked with. “I am very elated and proud to have been a Supervisor for four years and to have worked around some magnificent people dedicated to making this County thrive,” he said. “In my opinion, the County has to have people who want the County to grow, not only in a government way but in a relationship way. We’ve got to learn to work together. Most of all, the City and the County have to work together to make this County what it should be.”
District 2 Supervisor Pat Davis helped serve the food. Davis, the owner of Abe’s BBQ, provided some of the food, including sliced beans, slaw, potato salad, and barbecue sauce. Griffin said he organized a Thanksgiving lunch in the spirit of “togetherness.” “Thanksgiving is about being thankful and giving back,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
