Two more hopefuls have applied to replace Jabari Edwards on the Columbus Light and Water board.

Brenda Lathan and Maurice Webber have joined former mayor Robert Smith in vying for the post.

Edwards’ five-year appointment expires June 19. The appointment will be made June 20, and the deadline to apply is noon on June 14.

Edwards, who is under federal indictment, has not reapplied.

Lathan formerly worked at the Golden Triangle Development LINK, where she spent more than 20 years as the senior vice president for economic development. During her time at the LINK, she also managed the water and sewer operations at the Golden Triangle Industrial Park for 12 years.

Then-Gov. Phil Bryant appointed her to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Commission in 2015, and is currently serving as chairperson.

“From 1999 to 2019 we had a lot of expansions (at the industrial park) as far as water, sewer and electric,” Lathan said. “We did a lot of grant writing and things like that that I feel like will be beneficial to the board.”

Lathan said if appointed she wanted to work toward finding more money for the water department.

“The problem is that supposedly there is a lot of (federal) money out there to assist utilities, but there just isn’t that much,” she said. “I’m a researcher. One of the things I like to do is research ways to improve situations that can be improved.”

Lathan applied for a post on the CLW board last year, when Jimmy Graham chose not to seek reappointment. That seat eventually went to Stephanie Gale.

Webber is a retired businessman. He owned Classic Car Care on Fifth Street North from 1985 until 2008 and currently is the chairperson of the Memphis Town Community Action Group.

Webber ran unsuccessfully for the Ward 4 city council seat in 2013.

“I’m a former business person, and I have a lot of business experience,” he said. “I feel I could bring that dimension to the board, in terms of fiscal responsibility.”

Webber said if appointed he would like to see more innovation, especially with technology, at Columbus Light and Water.

Smith was most recently appointed to the CMSD board in February and was reappointed to the Golden Triangle Waste Management Authority Board in January 2022. He served as mayor from 2006-21, and as Ward 1 councilman from 2001-06.

Smith has worked as a teacher, coach and administrator for the Lowndes County School District and previously served on the CMSD board, as well.

Edwards was appointed to the CLW board in June 2018, replacing Tiffany Turner, who did not seek reappointment. He had previously served on that board from 2004-12 and had served as Smith’s campaign manager in 2013. Shortly after Smith’s reelection for that term, the city hired Edwards’ firm, J5, to work as its project manager.

Edwards and J5 President Antwann Richardson were indicted in June 2022 for allegedly misusing more than $2 million in Paycheck Protection Plan and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program funding.

They allegedly fraudulently applied for coronavirus relief funds through North Atlantic Security, which Edwards owned at the time but later sold, and Edwards Enterprises, a company listing Edwards as its sole member.

The two are jointly charged with 17 criminal counts, including multiple charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.

Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.