Several residents from the Town of Brighton have filed a complaint to oust an alderman with ongoing legal issues.
Last June, DeSoto County, Miss. officials announced alderman David Boone had been indicted for two counts of fondling and since then he has not appeared at a Brighton event but has continued to be paid.
He reportedly notified mayor Stephanie Washam he would be on leave until the matter was resolved in order “to not be a distraction,” the complaint suggests, and has not participated in meetings of the board of mayor and aldermen, training for elected officials, or town events like parades and trash pick-ups, the complaint alleges.
Brighton has four aldermen and requires three for a quorum, so Boone’s continued absence means city business cannot be conducted if another alderman is absent. This happened in September, December, and twice in January.
The 11 plaintiffs suggest Boone is knowingly and willfully neglecting his duties, which they suggest goes against the oath he repeated when he was sworn in in December 2020.
He is currently serving his first term as alderman.
Boone was a teacher at White Station High School at the time of his indictment and had been an educator and coach for more than two decades.
The court case has not yet made its way through the legal system and Boone has not given an indication of when he may return.
Tennessee Code Annotated § 8-47-101 provides for the removal of an elected official who has committed misconduct while in office or neglects to perform their prescribed duties.
The plaintiffs are requesting a jury trial and that Boone is ousted from office.
Boone is not the first Brighton official who’s faced legal troubles while in office but he is the first, at least in recent history, who’s been faced with being ousted.
A hearing has been set for 9 a.m. on March 31 in Tipton County Chancery Court.
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