For new Parma mayor: Black is not an issue

PARMA, Mo. -- Tyus Byrd says she never really intended to run for mayor of Parma, and she never was fully confident of a win.

"I didn't think along that level. I always just knew that God had my back. If He was for me, fine. If not, I knew He'd open another door for me."

As it turned out, the door that opened for Byrd was the one to the mayor's office in the small, rural city of 675 residents in New Madrid County in the Missouri Bootheel.

Prior to being sworn into office on April 14, 2015, however, the 40-year-old could never have imagined the national headlines she would grab as Parma's first black mayor.

Upon her taking office, several vital city employees -- including the chief of police and two full-time policeman -- reportedly resigned. All are white, and the police chief was a white female.

"I've never seen any letters of resignation," Byrd attests. "I was told by Allison Twaits that they had all resigned."

Twaits is a reporter with KFVS TV, a local CBS affiliate in Cape Girardeau, Mo., who was present at the April 14 swearing-in ceremony.

"I was told that the Police Chief, Trish Cohen, and Richard Medley, a full-time officer, had resigned."

Along with the chief and officer, also said to have resigned are Richard Learue, who heads up the Wastewater Department for the city of Parma, and an unnamed female who held three titles -- city clerk, court clerk and city collector. Both she and Learue are white.

Byrd confirmed that none of the individuals have shown up for work since the day she took over as mayor.

"To my knowledge, they are no longer on the payroll," she stated on Monday, April 20.

In spite of not having official letters of resignation, Byrd confirmed, "I do know that the police chief and Officer Medley have resigned."

Two part-time officers have remained on the police force and are actively patrolling the city.

The new mayor had hoped to spend time with her opponent in the mayoral race, Randal Ramsey, as she transitioned into her new post.

"I saw him (Ramsey) at the swearing in, and that's the last time I saw him," Byrd explained. "There's been no transitioning period."

Asked if she has attempted to reach the former Parma mayor to discuss elements of the job, Byrd stated, "It was clear in my mind that was not going to happen after Allison Twaits explained to us that he (the former mayor) had a 'fear of something' happening."

Byrd said Ramsey was escorted into the April 14 meeting by a police officer. The only explanation for that action came from the local television reporter, referring to the "fear" factor.

And yet, when asked if she believed what is happening in Parma involves a racial issue, the newly elected, soft-spoken mayor responded, "No. I never encountered any black/white issues here."

Like many small, rural towns in southeast Missouri, Parma had a seldom challenged, long-term mayor in place. Ramsey's tenure covered some 37 years.

But a group of men and women in Parma wanted to see some change -- some improvements for a city that since 2000 has seen a decrease in population of nearly 21 percent. Currently, the city has 675 residents, 66 percent of whom are white. Almost 30 percent of Parma's residents are black.

Byrd's campaign consisted of canvassing the city and handing out business-type cards she had printed at her own expense that asked for the patron's vote in the April 7, 2015, municipal election. For her efforts, she locked in 122 votes, 38 more than the incumbent, Ramsey.

A city in need

The city of Parma has seen better days. There was a time when a variety of shops lined the downtown area and its school system housed students from kindergarten through middle school. These days, there is no school system in Parma except for the Head Start for qualifying preschoolers. Students are bussed to nearby Lilbourn and when they reach high school age, to New Madrid County Central High School.

Tyus Byrd grew up in Parma when the city was a thriving community. These days, the majority of the downtown area consists of boarded up shops whose doors have long been closed. A convenience store on the edge of town near Highway 153 stays busy selling gas, cigarettes, snacks and necessities.

It's Byrd's hope that as mayor, she can improve the flailing city of Parma.

"I wanted to see more economic growth and I wanted to see a safe places for our children to play," she says of her reasons for getting into the mayoral race in January.

Others in a prayer group comprised of several men and women from Parma from various denominations who united in 2010, felt the same way, and encouraged Byrd to run.

"I never was one to be in the forefront," she admits. "I hadn't run for office since high school on Student Council. I've always been the one pushing someone else to take charge."

The prayer group has met weekly since its birth five years ago, and Byrd says it was through that group and through meeting and praying weekly with several other Parma residents over the years, that she decided to take on the challenge of the mayoral election.

"I prayed on it," Byrd said, "and I got the ok from God and decided to run."

Byrd confirmed that she will be meeting with the Parma Board of Aldermen in the near future and that the city will be hiring for the positions that have been vacated.