Neighbors Complained About Decorations, Mayor Says
UPDATED: 5:10 pm CST December 1, 2011
MADISON, Miss. -- A Madison woman will be able to keep her Christmas decorations after all.
Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler said on Wednesday that her office was flooded with complaints about the lighted peacocks on Wanda Cheeks' roof.
"I'm not going to run from that or hide from that when residents call us. This was a plea from residents asking that something be done," Hawkins-Butler said.
Cheeks said the ornaments were special to her.
"I love Christmas, and when I first seen them, the first thing I hollered, 'It's different. It's nice. It's lights. It's Christmas. Hey, I've got to have them.'"
Cheeks said a code-enforcement officer told her that her neighbors had complained about the lighted birds. Neighbor Nathan Dunaway said he supported Cheeks.
"For neighbors to complain about this when this is supposed to be the season of giving, it's just not right," Dunaway said. "I'd like to see the city code that says we can't have peacocks on our roof."
On Thursday, Hawkin-Butler said she was wrong and said she plans to apologize to Cheeks.
"Through this process, I was able to learn the true meaning of the peacock as a symbol of Christmastime," Hawkins-Butler said.
Through research, the mayor discovered that peacocks are considered by some as a symbol of Christ and the Resurrection. Hawkins-Butler said the peacocks can remain on Cheeks' roof.
Cheeks says the decorations make her happy and believes they aren't hurting anyone.
"I'm trying to lift myself up, and I do this all the time, and this is what I get a kick out of. And for somebody to come down and beat me down like this, I just don't feel like it's fair. I'm not trying to hurt nobody," Cheeks said.
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