JONESTOWN — Jonestown has been without a city attorney for the past six months.
Carlos Moore was fired as the city attorney back in October 2018 and four candidates have expressed interest since then. Mayor Kenny Lester originally planned to veto Moore’s firing, but Moore asked him not to.
More than six months later, the council still has not agreed on who the new city attorney should be.
The two potential city attorneys to succeed Moore discussed during the April city council meeting were former Helena-West Helena, Ark., mayor James Valley and judge Derek Hopson from Clarksdale.
Lester, for the second time, recommended Valley for the position since he has experience in municipal law, but the council could not agree on an attorney.
“I think it’s time we hire someone,” Lester said.
Alderwoman Yvonne Williams-Brooks needed more information before making a decision.
“We have a resume on Hopson, but we don’t have anything on this other guy, so do you have anything on him?” she asked.
Valley did come to a special meeting nearly two months ago and only some of the council members were present.
All five council members were present for the April meeting.
Lester and some of the council members do have a copy of Valley’s resume.
“Mayor, we probably need to bring in both candidates, talk to them and see where they stand,” Williams-Brooks said.
The council agreed to table the matter, but a special meeting could be called prior to the next regular meeting.
The next regular meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, May 6.
Lester said he would talk with both Valley and Hopson about coming to a future meeting.
The other two candidates who have expressed interest in the position are Chris Finn from Clarksdale and David Tisdell from Tunica.
Tisdell has since decided he did not want to hold the position.
Finn attended a council meeting and spoke shortly after the city attorney position became vacant.
