SOUTHAVEN, MS (abc24.com) - Southaven Mayor Greg Davis will not be resigning. He's back in his office at City Hall after addressing the public for the first time since before Christmas, and since Davis came out as being gay.
The mayor hasn't been at city hall for five weeks, and in that time Southaven Aldermen asked him to leave office. Aldermen claim Davis admitted he deceived them on how he spent city money, and that was part of their reasoning when they asked him to resign. But Davis said he did no such thing, and that they're twisting his words.
Davis claims when he told the city's Board of Alderman he'd deceived them, he was referring to being gay, not misusing taxpayer money.
"It deeply hurts that some have taken that very personal struggle and manipulated it and twisted it maliciously into something that was never intended," Davis stated at a January 30th press conference. "On December 20th, I recall using the word 'deceiving' in a meeting with department heads and later the board in executive session concerning my sexual orientation."
Alderman Ronnie Hale denies that claim. "I don't agree with that; we were told plain and simple what was happening. How things were happening, that was clear to us - what was being said, what was meant by that."
Voters aren't buying it either.
Southaven resident Maxine Conner said, "I think he was not talking about his sexual preference at that time, he's just using it now. He's been gone for what, about a month? I think he's just coming out with something until he finds something else better to say."
With Davis back in office the board will have to work with him, but many, including city aldermen, still believe he should step down.
"We honestly feel it's in the best interest of the city," Alderman Hale said.
Mose Faulkner of Southaven said, "I think as time comes and he sees how things are going he will do the right thing and resign."
Davis read from a prepared statement and did not answer any questions. He left immediately afterwards without saying when exactly he'd be back on the job. Davis' lawyer told abc24.com he is back "full-time."
