There is an old saying that goes, “In this world, there is nothing certain but death and taxes.”

Anyone who has regularly attended meetings of the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors would add another certainty: “A shouting match between Harry Sanders and Leroy Brooks.”

For more than 20 years now, the county’s two longest serving — and most outspoken — supervisors have clashed at intervals, most often to the benefit of no one and certainly not to the residents each represent.

Monday, they were at it again, this time over a pay raise for the sheriff and an appointment to the Lowndes County Industrial Development Authority board.

We don’t object to board members having differences of opinions, nor do we find any fault when supervisors vigorously make their points. That can be a healthy process.

But when those disputes deteriorate to the point of making a mockery of the process, disrupting the decorum we expect our elected leaders to hold themselves to and cloud policy decisions with personal attacks, it has gone far beyond the give-and-take, win some/lose some nature of policy-making.

More often than not, when these Harry vs. Leroy confrontations flare up, we are inclined to let them pass unnoted. If calling them out for their behavior would have an effect, the kind of scene that occurred Monday would have long since ended.

Generally, when Harry and Leroy clash, the blame can be equally distributed. But even when one supervisor’s words or behavior are more egregiously wrong, the other has exacerbated rather than diffused the situation. They almost seem to enjoy pushing each other’s buttons, often for no apparent reason.

But Monday, the lion’s share of the criticism belonged to Brooks. It’s probably been a long time coming.

Since July 2020, when Sanders infamously called Black citizens historically dependent during a debate over removing the Confederate monument, Brooks has refused to sit at the board table during supervisors meetings, fulfilling a vow never to sit at the board table as long as Sanders remained on the board.

Although Sanders stepped down as board president in the wake of withering criticism, he did not resign, something Brooks, as well as many other citizens and community leaders demanded.

During meetings, Brooks has floated around the board room, sometimes sitting as far away from the board table as possible and more recently, sitting in a seat along the wall behind board president Trip Hairston. He has cited COVID concerns as part of the reason he “floats.”

Concerning his issues with Sanders’ year-and-a-half old comments, though, we feel Brooks has made his point.

On Monday, as the emotions began to spill over, Brooks quickly emerged from his seat and approached the table. Sheriff Eddie Hawkins rose, most likely to step between Brooks and Sanders, who remained seated at the board table.

Brooks loudly asked Hawkins if he intended to arrest him, before returning to his self-imposed exile away from the board table.

So many times, politicians tell us they are going to “fight” for their constituents. Voters prefer candidates that will “fight” for them.

But we would be horrified if either the politician or the voters mean it literally.

We expect our elected leaders to behave themselves with dignity and, sometimes, restraint.

The voters of District 5 that Brooks represents literally deserve a seat at the table, not in the back of the room.

While we understand the principle that not sitting at the table represents, we believe that point has been made and made effectively.

Our expectations for the conduct of Sanders and Brooks have decreased over the years.

But we do not think it too much to ask that they sit at the table — and remain seated.

That should not be too much to ask.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.

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