Middleton said the city did not have a copy of one of the remaining candidate’s college degrees, and he said he wanted to wait until the city could verify the candidate’s degree before taking a vote.

Fields stood up and said he voted for White two weeks ago when Gray made a motion to hire White. He said he has heard candidates say during campaigning that they all want Natchez to be a place their children can come back to.

“Here we have a person who has come back and given his blood, sweat and tears, and we’re trying to hire someone from out of town,” Fields said as he walked out of the chambers.

After confusion and comments from the audience about whether Middleton was referring to White as the candidate for which the city did not have a copy of his college degrees, White stood up and asked Middleton if he was referring to him.

“I know you have yours, chief,” Middleton said. “We’ve got yours in the records. We don’t have a copy of the other man’s.”

Fortenbery withdrew his motion to hire Babin.

“I’m going to leave it up to you and the other three aldermen that just walked out of here to decide, because I am through with it,” he said to Middleton.

Middleton said after the meeting that a third candidate would more than likely not be considered for chief because the candidate did not have college degree. He confirmed that the decision for the next chief is now between White and Babin.

Prior to the police chief discussions, the aldermen voted 4-2 to allow campaign signs in violation of the code to remain posted.

Ward 3 Alderman Bob Pollard and Fortenbery voted against the motion.

Mayoral candidate Phillip West appeared before the board for clarification about a letter he received from a city code enforcement officer saying West had violated the city’s political sign code.

West said he was at the regular aldermen meeting on April 10, but he missed the board’s discussion of sign code enforcement with City Planner Bob Nix.

West said he had been told after the meeting that the board met with Nix in the council chambers’ back conference room prior to the regular meeting.

Gray said he had not discussed anything with Nix about sign code enforcement in the back room, and other aldermen agreed.

After several minutes of arguing, it was pointed out to West the board’s discussion with Nix about code enforcement happened during the finance session before regular meeting.

Gray told West that the board’s finance sessions are held in the open chambers and not in the conference room used for executive sessions.

West said he had assumed the finance session was held in the conference room because they were held there while he was mayor.

West also referenced conflicting reports from Nix about sign code enforcement.

“If you’re not going to do all of them, then leave folks alone and let them do what they want,” West said.