An ongoing feud between two males that declare to be accountable for a small city in Alabama has shoved the neighborhood into nationwide highlight.
Tarrant mayor Wayman Newton and metropolis supervisor John C. Brown have been battling it out for greater than a 12 months – simply one of many many weird controversies which have plagued the tiny Jefferson County city of about 6,000 residents.
Newton was appointed mayor in 2020 and Brown was given the town supervisor title on June 6, 2023.
The day after Brown was appointed, Newton filed a lawsuit in opposition to him, claiming the town council ‘illegally’ put Brown in his managerial place.
A decide later granted a brief restraining order in opposition to Brown that stopped him from taking on Newton’s spot as ‘the king of Tarrant.’
Each males, who will not be in touch with one another, now must settle their points within the Alabama Supreme Court docket.
Wayman Newton, the mayor of Tarrant, Alabama sued John C. Brown after he was appointed as metropolis supervisor in June 2023
Each males, who refuse to talk with one another, now must settle their points within the Alabama Supreme Court docket. (pictured: Tarrant Metropolis Corridor)
‘He sends out emails to staff they usually’ve been instructed to ship all these emails to me, and I do not trouble responding,’ Newton advised AL.com.
The authorized battle between Newton and Brown began final summer time when the mayor sued Brown for taking on as the town supervisor of Tarrant – a place that council members voted on.
Decide Pat Ballard dominated in favor of Newton, stating that the town council couldn’t rent another person to do his job.
The day after Brown (pictured) was appointed, Newton filed a lawsuit in opposition to him, claiming the town council ‘illegally’ put him in his place
In flip, Brown misplaced his job, his $100,000 annual wage, and his checking account was wiped to pay for his $78,000 in authorized charges, as ordered by Ballard.
Brown appealed the case and it was quickly handed over to the state’s supreme court docket. The decide has paused the garnishment on his account within the meantime.
Newton stated that the case being pushed to supreme court docket will solely handle Ballard’s order to withdraw cash from the previous metropolis supervisor’s account, and doesn’t imply Brown can get his job again.
‘The keep would not point out something about him working,’ Newton stated.
‘So so far as I am involved the decide’s order nonetheless stands that he was improperly employed by the council and he would not have the authorized authority to work within the position of the town supervisor, so we do not have a metropolis supervisor.’
The mayor stated that the town is ‘effectively into the supreme court docket case’ and it is too late for Brown to safe a bond as a part of his enchantment course of.
Decide Pat Ballard dominated in favor of Newton (pictured), stating that the town council couldn’t rent another person to do his job
In the meantime, Brown’s lawyer, Scott Morro, stated that his shopper has the precise to return to work.
‘We’re assured that in the long term John Brown goes to be the town supervisor of Tarrant based on the legislation, not based on one man’s narcissistic insistence who needs to be the king of Tarrant,’ Morro stated.
‘He’s again with the blessing of the town council however being ignored by the mayor. The mayor is looking conferences and telling everybody to not do something that he says, however their time is coming.’
Morro added that he’s engaged on acquiring a bond and a letter of credit score for Brown.
‘The garnishment is the financial institution saying, “We’re going to maintain this quantity.” We’ve already bought the enchantment transient in, and we’re ready on the bond, so as soon as the bond is made the underlying judgment is stayed,’ Moro advised AL.com.
DailyMail.com contacted Newton and Brown’s lawyer, Morro, for remark.
The battle for energy between the mayor and metropolis council aren’t the one troubles going through the small city.
In December, a 79-year-old lady was arrested on misdemeanor fees alleging disorderly conduct and harassment after a heated change with a metropolis employee at a Metropolis Council assembly.
Novilee Williams (far left) was arrested and brought to jail on December 5, only a day after she bought into an argument with Shayla Myricks, a metropolis accountant (proper)
Novilee Williams was arrested and brought to jail on December 5, only a day after she bought into an argument with Shayla Myricks, a metropolis accountant.
Video of the encounter confirmed Williams push Myricks’ hand away, saying ‘flip round honey,’ the Related Press reported.
In response to the police report, Myricks accused the resident of ‘preventing and threatening conduct in a public place.’
‘There are some guidelines for some after which there are guidelines for others,’ Council Member Veronica Freeman stated following the incident, suggesting it was politically motivated.
‘When a sure individual will get attacked, it’s a drawback. They went overboard in doing that to Ms. Williams.’
Freeman additionally made headlines after Councilman Tommy Bryant, a white man, referred to her, a black lady, as a ‘home n*****.’
Video of the encounter confirmed Bryant get indignant over a social media publish that his spouse allegedly uploaded with Mayor Newton and Freeman.
The Mayor has denied utilizing the racist epithet in opposition to council member Veronica Freeman (pictured). Bryant justified his actions by claiming that he was simply repeating what the Mayor stated
Upset that somebody within the crowd advised that his spouse used a racial slur, Bryant repeatedly stated the phrase on the assembly.
AL.com beforehand reported that Bryant justified his actions by claiming that he was simply repeating what Newton known as Freeman within the video. The mayor denied Bryant’s declare.
A few 12 months after that battle, Bryant was arrested for allegedly punching Newtown after the mayor made a lewd sexual reference about his spouse. Newtown stated he was reacting to a racist remark from Bryant.
Bryant was discovered not responsible of assaulting the mayor in 2023.
One other controversy concerned Tarrant Police Chief Wendell Main who was suspended 3 times for insubordination and allegedly deleting homicide and arson fees in a number of instances.
Main’s attorneys known as the accusation ‘completely, 100% false.’
