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By Fred Guarino

The Lowndes Signal

The Mosses Town Council appointed Mayor Pro Tem Willie B. Hill as the town’s new mayor at a special called meeting Wednesday night, March 1, to replace former Mosses Mayor Walter S. Hill.

Walter S. Hill plead guilty to a felony ethics violation for using his office for personal gain in the total amount of $25,370.37 on Friday, Jan. 6.

According to former Attorney General Luther Strange, Hill resigned the day before he pled guilty to the felony ethics violation in Montgomery County Circuit Court. However, Walter S. Hill told the Signal that he retired from the Town of Mosses as he has been mayor more than 10 years on Jan. 2.

While concerned citizen Harold Bell called the action by the council Wednesday night unfair, the council appointed Willie B. Hill as mayor following a nomination by Council member Joe E. Bell. The vote to appoint him carried with Joe E. Bell and Sharon Bell voting in favor and Elaine Rudolph abstaining.

Willie B. Hill did not vote for himself. He also explained to those in the audience that only members of the council could make nominations for the position of mayor.

After the meeting, Harold Bell said, “I feel that it’s unfair.” He said, “I would say over night they came up with this idea. I feel that was not right. They should have posted it.” He also said he felt the council should have waited until it had five council members on board first.

He said, “I gave them my letter saying that I would like to apply for the job. They did not read it out, and they did not even respond to it… I feel like it is just wrong.”

New Mayor Willie B. Hill confirmed that the meeting was posted within the League of Municipality guidelines more than 24 hours prior to the meeting.

He also said he spoke the League of Municipalities on Wednesday morning about the procedure and was told to go forward with nominations by the council.

Harold Bell said it was all done “too fast.” He said, “They should have put it out there where everybody would have a chance.”