Childs takes over in Cairo

CAIRO, Ill. -- New Cairo Mayor Judson Childs didn't waste any time Tuesday in overturning the regime of Paul Farris.

Within minutes of being sworn into office, Childs returned city clerk Lorrie Hesselrode and treasurer Preston Ewing Jr. to the jobs they held when Farris took office in 2003. He then set a special meeting of the Cairo City Council for Thursday to approve his appointments, cut garbage collection fees, rehire the city's accounting firm and take steps to settle three long-standing lawsuits.

Childs retained police chief Tim Brown, city superintendent Freddie Covington and fire chief John Meyer.

Childs will preside over a city struggling to pay its bills. He will be joined by a six-member council with four new faces.

In a brief address to more than 125 people crammed into a courtroom at the Alexander County Courthouse, Childs said his priority would be to bring a new direction to City Hall. "The town is crying out for change," Childs said. "We, myself and the city council, are going to make a difference in Cairo."

Along with Childs, Judge Mark Clarke administered the oath of office to six council members, two who remain from the previous group and four new faces. The two incumbents who returned to office -- Linda Jackson, who was elevated to councilwoman-at-large, and Elbert "Bo" Purchase -- were two of Farris's chief opponents.

The new council members are Richie Pitcher, Tyrone Coleman, Kathy McAllister and Lorenzo Nelson.

In an interview after the ceremony, Childs said he hasn't spoken with Farris since the election and did not yet have the keys to city hall. Cutbacks at city hall will include the salary of the city attorney. Childs named Pat Duffy to be a special city attorney to settle the lingering lawsuits. Under Farris, attorney Patrick Cox was receiving $8,000 a month and the city was providing a legal secretary.

The pay will be slashed and the secretary's job will be eliminated, Childs said.

The lawsuits need to be settled, he said. "Some of those things have been lingering and nothing has been done about them," Childs said.

The accounting firm Beussink, Hey, Roe, Seabaugh and Stroder LLC of Cape Gir-ardeau will be brought in for consultations. Farris fired the firm when he would not accept the results of their audit for his predecessor's last year in office. None of the required annual audits have taken place under Farris.

Childs also said he intends to make up the paychecks lost by four of the six council members who fought Farris. After a brief boycott of council meetings, the four -- including Jackson and Purchase -- returned to work but Farris refused to issue paychecks. Each is owed about $7,000.

"They are due that, and I think they should get it," Childs said.

During Farris' tenure in office, he shut council members out of city hall by changing locks and invited them to take part in decisions at his discretion. In the past, each council member was responsible for oversight of a city department.

Jackson said she expects better working relationships at city hall. "I hope a lot of things will be easier," she said.

rkeller@semissourian.com

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