Editor’s note: The original version of this article incorrectly listed one of the aldermen who voted against the motion to allow campaign signs in violation of the code to remain posted. The current version of the article includes the correct votes.

NATCHEZ — Heated discussions about political signs and a potential new police chief fueled disorder, confusion and ultimately led three aldermen to storm out of the Natchez Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday prematurely ending the last regularly scheduled meeting before Election Day.

The meeting ended for lack of a quorum when Ward 1 Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis, Ward 2 Alderman James “Rickey” Gray and Ward 4 Alderman Ernest “Tony” Fields walked out of the meeting with a motion on the floor to hire Rudolph A. Babin, a captain at the Baton Rouge Police Department, as the new police chief.

Ward 5 Alderman Mark Fortenbery made the motion after he said he believed the process for hiring a chief had gone on long enough.

Prior to the vote, the board had met in executive session to discuss the hiring of a police chief, riverfront industrial development and engineering contracts.

Gray said he thought the board had agreed in executive session to wait until the next meeting to decide on a police chief.

Gray made a similar motion to hire Interim Chief Danny White as chief at the board’s April 10 meeting after the board met in executive session and reportedly agreed to table the decision on hiring a chief.

“Isn’t that what happened the other day?” Fortenbery said to Gray.

Gray said as chair of the police committee, he believed he would at least be notified before a vote.

“Mayor you said I was out of order, now you’ve got the chance to tell him he is out of order,” Gray said.

Mathis pointed out, though the race of the chief candidates had not been publicly disclosed, that just Monday night she had mentioned such a board of aldermen racial split.

When asked at a Monday night candidate forum whether she believed the aldermen voted along racial lines, Mathis said that was a rare occurrence, except when the board was voting on the hire of a minority department head.

At that, Mathis stood up and proceeded to walk out of Tuesday’s aldermen meeting.

“Come on,” she said to other aldermen.

Gray then also walked out of the meeting.

Mayor Jake Middleton attempted to bring the audience up to speed on what was discussed in executive session.