Depending on how his administration operates, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton could do worse than develop the image of a broom as the iconic symbol of his tenure. At Monday’s ceremony swearing in Joyce Avery as the acting county mayor, County Commissioner Steve Mulroy, representing his colleagues, surprised Wharton with a new cheap kitchen broom as a going-away present. Wharton joked that he was unsure which end to use first, making a show of using the handle to wallop something — or someone — before going with the regular sweeping motion he said he hoped would do the trick.
After his swearing-in at City Hall, Wharton was asked about the broom.
“What I need is one of those big push brooms,” Wharton said. “And one with a metal handle.”
The broom is a good start, followed by a gasoline-powered blower.