North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield has stepped down as mayor pro tem, turning the job over to his South Ward colleague, Alderman Willis Thompson.

Mayfield announced his decision at Wednesday’s board meeting, adding he discussed the possibility of Thompson serving as mayor pro tem several months ago.

“I told him I felt it would be fair and just if he had an opportunity to serve as mayor pro tem,” he said. “I also made him aware that I had been mayor pro tem for six years, and he should prepare himself to become mayor pro tem.”

He said he told Thompson earlier this week he was going to offer a motion to offer the job to him, “And he said he would accept it.” Mayfield said he also told Mayor George Flaggs Jr.

“I thank the board members for the opportunity,” Thompson said. “It’s another way for me to serve Vicksburg. I hope it puts me in a position on the board to do more to help the city.”

Mayfield’s announcement comes two days after a contentious Monday board work session on amending the city charter in which Mayfield accused the mayor of being “power hungry” for wanting the authority to appoint several city administrators, including the fire and police chiefs.

He said the Monday meeting did not affect his decision, “Because I had made this decision months before that. It may have that appearance, but the meeting Monday had nothing to do with it whatsoever.”

And his decision was not an indication he won’t seek a fourth term on the board in 2017.

“You don’t sit around everyday thinking about running for re-election when you’ve got as much as I do everyday,” he said.

“At the present time, I think we have a tremendous amount of work on the table.”

That decision, he said, will be made early during qualifying, “But right now, that doesn’t cross my mind.”

Mayfield served three terms on the Warren County Board of Supervisors before he was elected to his first term on the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in 2005 during the second term of former Mayor Laurence Leyens. He was mayor pro tem during the administration of former Mayor Paul Winfield. Mayfield was re-elected to a third term in 2013.