Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ethics And Appointments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Downtown merchant accuses appointed board member of sending insulting messages, demands resignation
Summary
At the August 2025 Henderson City Council meeting, downtown business owner Donovan Dixon accused a board member (named in the transcript as Bridal Ballard) of sending insulting social-media messages, cited his downtown sales figures and demanded the appointment be rescinded; HEDCO leadership urged dialogue and community engagement.
Donovan Dixon, a downtown merchant who said he has run a shop in Henderson for 26 years, used the council's public-comment period to accuse a board appointee of sending insulting messages and to demand that the appointee be removed.
"I want Bridal Ballard's resignation, or I want that appointment done away with," Dixon said, reading private messages he said were sent to him. He told the council he had compiled sales records and cited $5,517,434.65 in sales from Jan. 1, 2020, through Aug. 17, 2025, and said he paid more than $250,000 in collected taxes to state and local government over his business tenure.
Dixon also criticized recent downtown spending and named two examples he called inequitable: what he described as a roughly $150,000 facade grant and a $27,000 promotional payment. He framed his plea as a demand the council enforce the code of conduct for appointed officials and said he would "not tolerate this."
John Diglin, who identified himself as a native of Russ County, separately asked for permission to review and digitize historical council minute books for preservation.
Michael Bell, who introduced himself as president of HEDCO, responded during public comment by urging dialogue and community engagement. "We all need to listen," Bell said. He defended volunteer board service and described the EDC's work recruiting businesses and supporting small-business programs.
The mayor did not act on Dixon's demand for immediate removal during the meeting. No formal complaint or removal motion relating to an individual board appointment appeared on the agenda for this session.
What happens next: The council did not vote on an appointment or removal during this meeting. Dixon's request and the messages he read were part of the public record as presented to the council.
