Four new commissioners for the Vicksburg Housing Authority were appointed Monday, less than a week after Police Chief Tommy Moffett was rebuffed when he told the former commissioners at their monthly meeting they needed to step up their oversight of VHA operations.

The only commissioner not replaced was Ella Lee, whose term expires in December.

Three of the appointees will replace members serving holdover terms to which they had not officially been reappointed and the fourth will replace former commission member Charles H. Abraham, longtime chairman, who died three months ago.

Mary Ruth Jones, first appointed in 2001, was among the three replaced without notice or comment. Monday, she said she was “very surprised” to learn she had been replaced and said the “timing is very interesting.”

After Moffett quizzed commissioners Feb. 17 about their understanding of their jobs, Jones told Moffett she was offended by his assertions that the commissioners are in the dark when it comes to the day-to-day work of the housing authority and VHA Executive Director Jim Stirgus Sr.

Monday’s vote by Mayor Laurence Leyens and North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield also represented a shift in posture by city officials. The VHA is autonomous in financing, operations and management and looks to City Hall only to name commission members who, in turn, hire a director. Stirgus, a former principal and superintendent of education, was hired in 1987 and manages the 430 homes and apartments now in the VHA inventory.

He declined comment about the city’s action.

Leyens indicated the change was not sudden.

“In light of all the problems going on at the housing authority, we thought it would be best to make new appointments to the board and allow them to revisit the mission statements and bylaws of the housing authority,” he said. “The hope is a fresh board will give the housing authority a fresh perspective.”

Voted in on a single motion were Abraham Green, Charles Wright, Christopher Barnett and Jay Kilroy.

They will replace Jones, Abraham, David Speyerer and Carolyn Dent. South Ward Alderman Sid Beauman did not vote because his wife works for the VHA.

“Hopefully we can bring a different perspective to the board,” said Green, who is also the executive director of Warren County Habitat for Humanity. “I know the housing authority has been a good program though its history. I want to go in there and learn, first of all, and in time I hope to be able to offer some suggestions that can enhance the program.” 

Leyens did not enumerate problems, but did say he did not become aware of the long-expired board terms until “a few months ago.” That was around the time Charles Jones Jr. — a former VHA employee in charge of maintenance and purchasing — was arrested and charged with trafficking cocaine. Moffett has also said he believes Jones took tools and other merchandise from the housing authority and the goods were among the about $80,000 worth of items discovered at his Vicksburg home following his Dec. 19 arrest. Jones since has been released from the Warren County Jail on a $250,000 bond, and his drug case has yet to be heard by a grand jury. He faces no charges related to the merchandise.

Leyens also said city officials had been waiting to make changes to the VHA board because it did not want to interfere with the police department’s ongoing investigation into the alleged stolen merchandise.

“We were told by (Moffett) that a change in the board would not have a negative impact on the investigation,” Leyens said.

The arrest of Charles Jones brought into the open long-simmering discord between Moffett and Stirgus, who had faulted police for not doing enough to keep drugs out of public housing areas. After Jones was charged, Stirgus said he had made a personal apology.

VHA commissioners are appointed to staggered five-year terms. Green’s term is set to expire in 2013, Kilroy’s in 2012, Wright’s in 2011 and Barnett’s in 2010.

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Contact Steve Sanoski at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com