fired! Mesquite City manager caught on tape making racist remarks

The expectation before Tuesday night’s City Council meeting was that City Manager Edward “Owen” Dickie would likely get a slap on the wrist in the form of a written reprimand for making racially insensitive remarks on three separate occasions.

Instead, four of five Mesquite City Council members voted to terminate Dickie after a parade of residents argued during public comment for his ouster.

“We went from the safest city to the racist city,” said Mike Benham, one of the Mesquite residents present for Dickie’s comments, which were first reported by the Current.

“…Early on, I said ‘guys, I’m going down to Louisiana, I’m going back to the back parishes and I’m going to find me a 6 foot 5 Black woman chief…’” Dickie is heard saying in one recording from February. In another recording, he asserts he’ll bring back an “Aunt Jemima” should the need arise to replace then-Chief of Police MaQuade Chesley. In a third recording made by Chesley, Dickie can be heard using the ‘N’ word.

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“I said things that I shouldn’t say at that time, trying to bring a little humor – poor taste of humor,” Dickie said in his defense, arguing that the offending comments were made in private.

“Mr. Dickie, you don’t get it. You wouldn’t say it in public, but you’d say it in private. So it’s okay?” Mesquite resident Mitch Miller asked rhetorically during public comment. “Our city depends on tourism. Our casinos, golf courses, businesses right now – we’re a national embarrassment for even considering a written reprimand versus termination.”

https://nevadacurrent.com/2025/04/23/mesquite-council-fires-city-manager-for-racist-remarks/