Natchez alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis told the public on Tuesday night that she’s ashamed of the Board of Aldermen on which she sits.

We are ashamed too.

While Mathis’ statement related to her disappointment that she was on the losing end of a vote, our shame is more widespread.

Our shame is rooted in the continued lack of adherence to basic policies, procedures and simple decorum by city leaders.

Aldermen turned a financial decision into a spitball fight Tuesday and stooped so low as to call one another racists and liars. Such name-calling is completely inexcusable by people who should be held to higher standards.

The issue on the table this week that caused the uncivil behavior was a vote on an extremely complex financial derivative.

We contended when it was first discussed that none of the aldermen involved understood the intricacies, let alone the significant risks.

Instead aldermen were led to believe that earning $250,000 out of thin air was as simple as signing their names on the paperwork and awaiting the check.

Just like in 2006 when the city’s first entry into an interest rate swap agreement was consummated and disappointed, the actual income received in the latest deal appears less than promised.

On Tuesday, aldermen were told that despite their prior agreement that would net a minimum of $250,000, the city would net less because the legal fees would be deducted from the total amount.

Apparently, aldermen were being asked to accept the change after only having a few minutes to review. Allowing the item to be on the agenda at the last minute was the first mistake.

The second was expecting aldermen to decide on an extremely complex deal in a hurry. No one in their right mind would sign a large loan agreement without first reading it and fully understanding the implications.

Aldermen were wise to put the brakes on the deal until they have time to reconsider. When they do so, let’s hope they can make us proud by acting like adults not name-calling children.