Mayor Willis Hires Jimmie Wilson as Deputy City Attorney

HELENA-WEST HELENA- In a bombshell revealed at Tuesday's meeting of the Helena-West Helena City Council, it was announced that Mayor Arnell Willis has hired long-time political radical Jimmie L. Wilson to work with City Attorney Chalk Mitchell on city litigation.

Wilson, who was once an opponent of Willis and spent part of a term as a State Representative incarcerated, also has lawsuits pending against the city, who is now his client.  Willis would not comment during the meeting on the hiring, but Alderman Don Etherly revealed that he had seen the pleadings in a case involving city employees terminated by Willis where Wilson was signing off as the city's attorney in addition to City Attorney Chalk Mitchell.

Just weeks ago, Willis settled a lawsuit which paid Wilson $20000 and his client $40000.  Willis did this without a budget in place and without council authorization to exceed his spending limit of $5000.  Willis has also attempted to veto the majority of the city council's efforts to hire its own attorneys since the City Attorney  is representing the Mayor's position and not theirs.