WDAM Viewpoint- Mayor and Council work out court troubles - WDAM.COM - TV 7 - News, Weather and Sports

Just a few short weeks ago the Hattiesburg municipal court system had disintegrated into a sad state of affairs.  The City Council even wrote a letter listing a number of criticisms and poor ethical and procedural practices as well as organizational flaws.  We did an editorial commentary at the time and enumerated many of the problems.  The pressure was on Mayor Johnny Dupree to make sweeping changes and clean things up.  Seven on Your Side called for them to come together and come up with some solutions for the problems.  We praised them when they did come together.  We praise them now for, in fact, making a number of fundamental changes that should eliminate the shortcomings of the past.  The city court should never have been allowed to get in such shape.  However, it is a tribute to effective local government when the branches can come together, put differences aside and do what is best for the people.  A number of governmental bodies could take a lesson from this example.  Meanwhile we will continue to function as watchdogs for the public interest and will not hesitate to sound the alarm if the train runs off the tracks. 

I'm Jim Cameron.  Let us hear from you.