FREE CONTENT — Everett promoted to Waynesboro Police Chief; Street new Assistant

By Paul Keane

The Wayne County News

After an executive session that sounded as though it got heated, 
Waynesboro's Board of Aldermen promoted Brian Everett to Chief of Police 
and Neal Street to Assistant Chief of Police.

The Board went into closed session and then executive session to discuss 
various personnel matters. Members of the audience were asked to move to 
the front of City Hall, well away from the board room. That has become 
customary in recent meetings so that microphones could not pick up 
discussions.

Even with the audience well away from the board room, loud talking and 
shouting could be heard during the executive session that lasted 38 
minutes.

After coming out of the executive session, it was announced that Everett 
and Street had been hired and that Howard Chapman had been hired 
full-time in the Public Works Department.

Everett — who began his law enforcement career on June 17, 2025 with 
WPD — said he feels up to the challenge of taking over the department.

"This is different," he said. "It is an amazing opportunity, and I feel 
up to taking advantage of it.

"We are going to be here for the city and its citizens. We will be 
objective, firm and fair. We are going to be here for all citizens."

Saying he plans to have an open door policy where anyone can come and 
speak to him, Everett said he wants to move things forward from here.

"We're going to move forward," he said. "We want to meet the needs of 
the citizens."

Everett was hired at a salary of $65,000 a year while Street was hired 
at a salary of $60,000 a year.

Everett replaced Abraham McKenzie, who resigned roughly a week ago, 
while Street replaces Stephen Graeser, who resigned from the department 
after the first meeting of the month in February.

Before the executive sessions that led to the hirings, the Board covered 
a wide array of topics, including:

• Approved the General Claims Docket.

• Approved the Claims Dockets for Omar Boykin and Michael Jordan, Jr., 
with Beat 3 Alderwoman Tammie Wilson and Alderman-at-Large Deun Jordan 
recusing themselves from discussion and voting.

• Approved the February 2026 Water Adjustments.

• Heard from Mayor Scott Frost that after asking MDOT officials, 
re-striping of Azalea Drive and Mississippi drive was taking place.

• Approved the Audit Report from Holt & Associates for FY 24. There 
were no significant findings in the audit, according to Frost.

• Approved allowing the Mississippi Department of Child Protection 
Services to use the City Auditorium free of charge in order to conduct a 
Staff Appreciation Day on March 18.

• Approved a request from Patsy Brewer and Team W to conduct the 20th 
Annual Whistle Stop Festival on Saturday, April 18, along with the city 
paying for a certified electrician and blocking off streets in downtown.

• Approved a request from Patsy Brewer and Team W to place a new 
welcome sign on Highway 63 by the old armory. The city will pay for half 
while Team W will pay the other half and pay for landscaping.

• Approved allowing Assistant Fire Chief Scott Bunch to attend the 
Mississippi Fire Chiefs Association 2026 Summer Conference in Biloxi May 
27-31, with him being reimbursed for room, board and travel expenses.

• Approved reimbursing Preston Shedd $10 for the purchase of fuel.

• Tabled a request from Alexander Patton to use the City Auditorium 
for an event. Patton was not in attendance, which is why the request was 
tabled.

• Approved purchasing a 2026 Brush Cutter to be used to clean drainage 
ditches. The bid from Lyle Machinery was higher ($19,353) than a bid 
from Luby Equipment ($10,359) but Public Works Director Brandon Dyess 
pointed out that the Lyle price included installation and programming, 
and that if other equipment was placed on the excavator that was 
purchase from Lyle, the warranty on the excavator would be voided.

• Approved Carmen Heathcock to attend the Certified Municipal Clerk 
Conference in Starkville April 29-May 1 with her being reimbursed for 
room, board and travel expenses.

• Approved Scott Parker to attend the 2026 Operator Expo in Brandon 
March 24-25 with him being reimbursed for room, board and travel 
expenses.

• Approved a request from the Wayne County Democratic Party to 
utilized South Side Park's building for monthly meetings free of charge.

• Approved a new phone plan for Ben Harrison's cell phone that was 
transferred to him from retired Investigator Don Hopkins.

• Approved a corporate sponsorship of $500 with the Wayne County 
Chamber of Commerce.

• Approved advertising for grass cutting services on city property for 
the months of April through October.

• Discussed in executive session a contract between the City of 
Waynesboro and Hood Industries regarding grant money for the sewer 
upgrades the city is undertaking for the project.

• Approved payment of $1,200 to David T. Shaw of the Clara Water 
Association for his assistance with the city's water system for the 
month of February.

• Approved hiring Lace Harrison as an Auxiliary Firefighter.

• Approved hiring Benjamin Harrison as an Auxiliary Firefighter.

Approved hiring Jason Holmes on a part-time basis as an Narcotics 
Officer with the police department.