OCEAN SPRINGS, MS — Two heated Facebook threads this month have reignited debate over ethics, transparency, and credibility in Ocean Springs politics. At the center of the storm is former Ward 2 Alderman Rickey Authement, who used the online exchanges to criticize Alderman-at-Large Matthew Hinton — but soon found his own past under scrutiny.
Online Accusations Ignite Debate
The first wave came in a thread where Authement and others accused Hinton of conflicts of interest. Authement questioned why Hinton voted in July to approve the city’s nearly $1 million Docket of Claims, which included a $296 payment to Hinton’s paint store for materials purchased before he took office.
“Perhaps a simple recusal would have been more appropriate, given his vested interest,” Authement wrote. “At the very least, he could have acknowledged his personal interest in the matter while still offering his opinion.”
Some residents agreed, saying even the appearance of conflict should be avoided. Others pushed back, arguing the small invoice was routine, not scandalous. “There is a big difference in mistaken error and intent to defraud,” one commenter noted.
The discussion quickly spread to other issues. Authement said Hinton should step down as chair of the Ocean Springs Small Craft Harbor Board, accusing him of “hogging all the slips.” Critics claimed Hinton and his family had multiple boats tied up. Supporters countered with facts: records show Hinton personally has one slip, his wife leases another, and a third belongs to a company he partially owns. No rule was cited that bars such arrangements.
Prior to the April primary elections, Hinton addressed the issue. “I am not doing anything outside the scope of what Jackson County and the Harbor Commission allows,” he stated. “Anyone else would be allowed to do the same thing.”
The debate then shifted to short-term rentals (STRs). Authement argued Hinton should have recused himself from board discussions on STR restrictions because he operates at least one himself.
But some were quick to point out that Authement also owned STRs when he served — and rather than recuse, he authored a measure to reduce them. One commenter replied bluntly: “Glass houses and stones.”
That history was even acknowledged inside City Hall. In a November 2024 staff meeting, then-Mayor Kenny Holloway and then-City Clerk Patty Gaston were caught on a recording laughing about the likely backlash Authement would face for championing stricter STR rules while also being in the business himself.
“He’s got two he’s about to put on the market,” Holloway said. “Now that’s gonna get complicated,” Gaston replied, followed by laughter from Holloway.
‘OSSR’ Meme Escalates Rhetoric
In a strange twist, former Redevelopment Authority member Kenny Williams poured fuel on the fire by posting a meme styled like the old Soviet Union flag, labeled “OSSR: Ocean Springs Socialist Republic.” When asked why he viewed Ocean Springs as “socialist,” Williams replied only, “Have you watched any of these board of Alderman meetings?”
That post drew ridicule as well as concern. Resident Scott Elmore responded, “I try to watch most meetings to stay informed and fail to see how they have done anything remotely socialist.” Williams never elaborated further.
Second Thread Turns Personal
A separate Facebook discussion in Keep Ocean Springs Charming opened with a resident asking if Authement was doing well. Instead of a calm exchange, it spiraled into sharp words. Authement told the resident, “It’s amazing how you manage to be involved in everything without actually knowing anything about it. Must be exhausting pretending to be the expert on a city you barely understand.”
When an anonymous member posted property records showing Authement had claimed a homestead exemption on a Ward 3 house while serving as Ward 2 alderman, Authement didn’t address the substance. Instead, he attacked the poster for hiding their identity: “Keep hiding behind your anonymous posts. You’ll never fit in with normal people.”
The homestead claim has dogged Authement for years. In a March 2025 interview with GC Wire, he admitted that after moving in with his now-wife in 2015, he failed to change the homestead exemption on his former home. He described it as an oversight tied to his mortgage escrow:
“I wasn’t even thinking anything about that. If I was getting a tax bill, I probably would have [changed it], but I wasn’t… It went straight to the bank.” He said county officials estimated about $3,000 in taxes were underpaid but told him there was no way to retroactively correct it.
“They just told me that if I want to, I could make a donation to a school or something like that,” Authement added. When asked if he made a donation to offset the amount, Authement said he did not.
“I’ve always made donations to all of them, but no, I didn’t make a solid donation for that amount.”
Past Controversies Resurface
The Facebook flare-ups also revived memories of Authement’s shifting stance in the city’s Securix scandal. In 2023, he led efforts to end the city’s contract with the ticketing company, citing undisclosed family ties between City Attorney Robert Wilkinson and the program. In 2024, Authement said “nobody knew” Wilkinson had an involvement with the company. Later, in 2025, he motioned to replace Wilkinson as city attorney entirely, again citing the undisclosed ties.
But days after losing his re-election bid, Authement signed a letter telling state officials that he and the Board had always known about Wilkinson’s involvement. When pressed, he refused to clarify which version of his story was true. “I’m not saying any more. It is what it is. Done,” he said.
That reversal, combined with his past ownership of STRs while legislating on the issue, has fueled public charges of hypocrisy.
Online Political Grudge Match
The dueling Facebook threads show how personal disputes, political grudges, and legitimate policy questions collide in Ocean Springs’ public square. Critics of Hinton argue even small conflicts of interest deserve scrutiny. But Hinton’s defenders point to the timing and size of the issues, turning the spotlight back on Authement, asking why his own STR ownership, homestead oversight, and Securix reversal don’t disqualify him from casting stones.
One resident summed up his take of the exchanges: “As they say, follow the money.”
