The man who the Graysville Board hired as a street laborer Monday night is a convicted felon serving 30 days in jail for statutory rape. Although his stepfather, Mayor Charles Kaylor, implied the man was unable to attend the meeting for an interview because he was watching his sick children, he was in fact behind bars.

At a special-called meeting of the Graysville Board of Mayor and Commissioners Thursday night, board members discussed how they were deceived by the mayor before they and the mayor voted unanimously to hire his stepson, Mitchell Aaron Wilson, 22, of Long Street, Graysville.

"[Wilson] was hired in under deceit," Vice-Mayor Jimmy Massengill said. "It's just not right."

Wilson, accompanied by Kaylor, visited some board members' homes Sunday night and expressed interest in the open position.
Massengill said Kaylor told him that Wilson would be unable to attend the meeting Monday because he would be watching his children. Shortly after visiting board members, Wilson was booked into the Rhea County Jail at 6:05 p.m.

Wilson was in jail during the Monday board meeting. He was only absent from the jail on Monday from 9:51 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. while working under a court-approved work release, according to Rhea County Sheriff Leon Sneed.

"He wasn't home with his kids. I was at jail working, and I saw him," the sheriff said.
At Monday night's meeting, Kaylor explained why Wilson would not be attending.

"He has some very sick kids. His wife is working right now, so he could not attend," Kaylor said.

Kaylor signed up to speak first Thursday night and stepped down as mayor for the meeting while speaking in behalf of his stepson and defending his own actions.

He said he has a past he's not proud of, but he was given a second chance to have a good, honest future...a better life.

Kaylor said some people have accused him of persuading board members to hire Wilson. He maintains that he didn't speak for or against Wilson.

"This is not true," he said. "As a matter of fact, I asked you to pray before you made a decision."

"I'm not proud of what my son has done, but I am proud of my son," the mayor said. "I feel we all have closet doors, and none of us volunteer to open them. I believe in giving anybody a second chance, whether it be my son or John Doe's son...I think he's perfectly capable as anyone else in filling the position...Other than God, my family comes first, and then my city...That's my story, and I'm sticking to it."

"Speaking as a father, I am disgusted and hurt at some things that has been said. Because of some of the things that's been said and some of the people who's said them, I could break out their closet door too, but I'm not going to. I don't stoop that low." Kaylor said.

The mayor said he will respect the board's position and decision in handling the matter.

In conclusion, the mayor said, "I have to again ask you to pray for a decision, and then ask yourself, "Have I ever been given a second chance?...Do I have a closet?...May God bless each and every one of you."

Kaylor did not apologize to the board and left the meeting after giving about a 25-minute speech. None of the board members or the approximately 30 residents present were allowed to address the mayor or ask him questions about his conduct.

After the mayor left, board members were given an opportunity to speak.

Commissioner Charles Elsea, who made the motion to hire Wilson, said he agrees with some of Kaylor's points about giving people second chances. However, he said anything Kaylor knew about the applicant or any other applicant should have been revealed to the board before a decision was made.

"I believe in second chances, but I believe in doing up front to start with, because if you do it up front, then the board can make a better decision," Elsea said.

Commissioner Susan Jones said she was upset when she learned about the situation. "I feel like honesty is the best policy," she added.

"Governors" of the town need to be more honest and open than anyone else, Massengill said.

"I feel like my person was violated. I was in shock," he said. "The truth will stand when everything else will fall."

Massengill referred to the situation as a great learning experience and said he'd like to ensure residents that it won't happen again.

Responding to charges from residents that board members already had their minds made up to hire Wilson before interviewing the others, Massengill said he actually planned to support another applicant who didn't attend.

Out of respect for the mayor, he went against his better judgement and voted to hire Wilson, he said. After the meeting, though, he said he regrets that decision.

Resident Minnie Thurman asked board members why they would "get rid" of a worker already on the payroll, referring to Roger Everett who has temporarily filled the position since November and also applied for the job.

Massengill said the board should have hired someone eligible for the job. If Everett could get his commercial driver's license, he could have stayed, he said.

Another resident, Tisha Thompson, said Everett should have been given the opportunity to get his CDL, after resident David Nelson said Everett was never asked to obtain the licensure.

Massengill said he was under the impression that Everett had been asked to get his CDL.

"You don't better your child by stepping on other people's toes," resident Bob Harrold said. Everett already had the job, he said, "plus, you know he's a good worker."

He added that Kaylor should have abstained from voting to hire his stepson.

Former Commissioner Paul Tallent referred to nepotism when he asked if it is good to hire a worker when his boss will be a relative. Most of the commissioners agreed it isn't a good idea.

Commissioner Bill Hickman said he was sorry he didn't find out more about Wilson before voting to hire him.

Because he was absent from the meeting Monday, Commissioner Neal Stultz abstained from commenting.

Commissioner John Hughes was in the hospital during the called meeting.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Elsea made a motion to recant the hiring of Wilson and reinterview all applicants, including Wilson, at the next board meeting set for Feb. 4. The motion was passed with a unanimous vote.

Wilson pleaded guilty on Dec. 12 to statutory rape charges, six days before he was scheduled for a hearing in Rhea County General Sessions Court. The offense occurred against a 16-year-old girl on May 26, and charges were filed on Aug. 7.

The husband and father of two was sentenced to 30 days in jail in addition to one year and five months probation under supervision by the state's Board of Probation.

In addition to being a convicted felon, Wilson was arrested on Sept. 11 for charges of reckless endangerment. The charges were filed by a Dayton man and his minor daughter-the girl for whom the statutory rape charges were filed. The father stated that Wilson intentionally run his daughter of the road and yelled obscenities at her, both which were witnessed by the daughter's aunt.

Kaylor claims the reckless endangerment
charges are false.

In a letter Wilson prepared and sent via the mayor to the board, he apologized for not attending the Monday night meeting.

"Because of things that I do not have control over, I am unable to attend tonight," he said.

Vanessa Dunn can be reached at vdunn@xtn.net.