Chappell: Unaware Alcohol in Office

County investigating whether supervisor's secretary living there

By Lorinda Bullock
lbullock@jackson.gannett.com

Chappell His tenure Ronnie Chappell has served as District 4 supervisor in Hinds County since January 1992. Supervisors make about $45,000 annually.

Hinds County District 4 Supervisor Ronnie Chappell says he knew nothing about the open bottles of liquor, makeup and cigarettes shown in a television report of his Raymond office last week.

"I was at a funeral," he said. "It's just really blown me out of the water," he said Monday.

Hinds County Administrator Anthony Brister said he and the county personnel director have launched an investigation in response to the WLBT-Channel 3 report and hope to complete it within the next two days.Reporters visited the office on a tip that Chappell's secretary Libby Everett was living in the office, according to WLBT.

Everett has been placed on administrative leave indefinitely with pay. She has worked as Chappell's secretary since April 2001. The position pays about $26,000 annually.

Brister

Possession of alcohol on county property is a violation of the county's personnel rules. Also, the sale and possession of alcohol in the 2nd Judicial District in Hinds County, where Raymond is located, is illegal.

Chappell, a supervisor for the past 13 years, said the few times he has been in the side office, he's never seen any alcohol or other items. The room is formerly a place to house jurors serving at the Raymond Courthouse. Chappell's office is in the Raymond Courthouse Annex.

"I don't go back there very much," he said.Chappell said he didn't know if Everett had been living in the office. "To my understanding, she lives with her brother," he said.

Jon Lewis, a constable in Chappell's district, said Chappell should resign if Chappell did not know what was occurring in the Raymond office."It looks like a trashed out hotel room," Lewis said of what he saw in the broadcast. "You can't go in that office and set it up like that without him knowing it."

Chappell said he has not spoken with Everett since the broadcast and is leaving the matter to Brister.

Raymond resident Shirlee Lawson said she wasn't sure how the situation should be handled, but something should be done."I was shocked and surprised that such a thing is going on in the courthouse," said Lawson, who has lived near the courthouse for six years. She said she voted for Chappell.

"I'd hate to think there isn't some explanation," she said.Chappell, aware some wouldn't accept his explanation, said, "I was not aware of this going on, and I'm sorry if it was and I was not aware."

Brister said the broadcast was the first time he's heard allegations of Everett staying at the office or any reports of alcohol being there.

"Right now we're actually just doing our research to make sure we protect the county for any liability and the employee," Brister said. "I've been gathering information from people that have been in and out of the office over the last week."Hinds County Sheriff Malcolm McMillin said his office is not involved in the investigation. But, he said, "If the county administrator chooses to sign an affidavit, the Hinds County Sheriff's Office would certainly have to follow up."

Fellow county supervisors said the matter doesn't require board attention."Ronnie Chappell is an elected official accountable to the people who elected him. The board of supervisors has no authority to reprimand or dismiss another colleague," District 3 Supervisor Peggy Hobson Calhoun said.

District 1 Supervisor Charles Barbour said, "Obviously Mr. Chappell needs to address it head on and put it to rest."

Supervisors Doug Anderson of District 2 and George Smith of District 5 said they were unaware Chappell had a side office until the broadcast. Anderson said the situation is unfortunate for Chappell."I don't think Ronnie would intentionally do any violations of this sort," Anderson said.