CROSS COUNTY, Ark. — It’s up to an Arkansas Circuit Judge to decide who’s running Parkin, Arkansas.
WREG told you back in May the newly elected Mayor Willie Patterson and some members of the City Council didn’t see eye-to-eye.
One Council member there accused the Mayor of setting her car on fire.
It finally reached the point where the Mayor decided to take the matter to court.
The lawsuit filed centered on who could hire and fire employees as well as restrictions on how much money the mayor could spend.
Wednesday, Mayor Patterson would not comment on his lawsuit against six City Council members as proceedings got underway in Cross County Circuit Court.
“Do you have any comment, ma’am?” we asked one of the Council members.
“None,” she replied.
Judge Christopher Morledge ordered the Plaintiff, Defendants and their attorneys not to discuss the case with the media until a decision had been reached.
The lawsuit was the result of a tumultuous relationship and sought to define the Mayors’ role in governing Parkin:
“Petition for injunctive relief and to declare the appropriate role and limitation on the City Council.”
Diane Patterson, the Mayor’s wife, was not bound by the judge’s order and spoke her mind.
“Since January 1 the Council has taken his right to hire and fire employees. It’s taken his right to sign checks. They want to do everything their self,” said Patterson.
At the heart of the suit was how much authority, if any, the Council had in hiring and firing city employees without the Mayor’s approval.
The suit also sought to do away with the Council’s restrictions on how much the Mayor can charge on the city’s credit card.
Since the fight began, two members of the Police Department have quit, and Clerk Mary Ann Whitlock decided to resign after eight years because she was tired of dealing with the “infighting.”
“If you don’t like this Mayor that’s fine, that’s everyone’s prerogative. But you were elected a city official to represent the City of Parkin. Do it for the City of Parkin, not for personal reasons,” said Whitlock.