In Sunday's News Sentinel it was reported that Ezra Maize, the new leader of the local NAACP has told Mayor Haslam he would have backlash from the African American community if the Mayor hired a caucasian to replace former Community Development Director Renee Kesler, an African American. Mark Brown, City Councilman has organized a group of African Americans to go behind closed doors with the Mayor to discuss racial problems in our community. Let me see if I have this right. Renee Kesler, former Community Development Director, intimidates, threatens and harsses her employees according to 1,200 pages of documentation gathered by Civil Service. Renee also pushed through grants without complete applications to selected individuals. Renee also took steps to ensure the demise of Economic Ventures so control could be passed to someone she could manipulate. I know I'm not the brightest star in the sky, but I just can't figure out how that's a racial problem. It sounds more like an individual who lacked management skills and integrity. Oh yeah, Ezra Maie said Renee was qualified for this job. As head of the local NAACP Ezra Maize will have opportunities to bring issues that need to be addressed by our community to the fore front. This is not one of them.