The city of Natchez has a new public official – city litigator.

In its Tuesday meeting, the Natchez Board of Aldermen appointed attorney Bruce Lewis to the position, where he will serve as a kind of assistant to reappointed City Attorney Walter Brown, Mayor F.L. &uot;Hank&uot; Smith said.

The position of city litigator is not a new one, but it has been left vacant in the past, Smith said. &uot;We’ve always had the option before,&uot; he said.

Lewis’ duties will include the filing and defending of lawsuits dealing with the city, whether the city be plantiff or defendant.

He will also &uot;take the work load off Walter (Brown),&uot; Smith said, by performing any legal work to which Brown assigns him.

&uot;It’s going to be pretty much Walter’s call as to what he farms out to Bruce, with some direction from the mayor and the board,&uot; Smith said.

&uot;(Brown) will still be the day-to-day reference for any questions I, the aldermen or the department heads, have concerning municipal law,&uot; he said, adding that Brown will also continue work on any current projects with which he is already involved.

The board also named Ward 4 Alderman Theodore &uot;Bubber&uot; West as Mayor Pro-temp. The position pays $100 a month in addition to the aldermen’s annual salary of $19,000.

Other returning city appointments include Gillon and Co. as city auditor, all current city personnel and committee and commission members. Everett Sanders was named Civil Service Commission attorney.

Ward 1 Alderwoman Joyce Arceneuax was publically sworn in by Judge Mary Toles. Arceneaux was not present at the inaugural ceremony held June 30, due to a National Educators Association conference. She had already taken her oath of office on June 17.

The meeting was the first for Smith, who opened the meeting with an apology and a promise.

Smith said he knows he will make a few mistakes before becoming accostemed to the role of mayor, but &uot;I promise you I’ll get better as I go along.&uot;

In other business, the board:

4 Voted to adopt the existing rules of procedure.

4 Recognized Wesley Warren of Natchez for his heroism in adminstering CPR to a one-year-old boy last month.

4 Welcomed Wilbert Whittley and the Natchez Day Camp Youth Choir. The children presented the city with a handmade quilt and performed &uot;Kum Ba Yah&uot; for the aldermen, mayor and guests.

4 Granted Public Works Director Richard Burke permission to advertise for the removal of several trees across the city which may cause a liability. The board also granted authorization for the mayor to sign Mississippi Department of Transportation contracts, as well as permission to hold an auction for surplus city equipment.

4 Granted City Engineer David Gardner permission to begin work on six Emergency Watershed Projects funded by the National Resource Conservation Service, including Pecanwood Lift Street, Espero/Mansfield Drive, Melrose Avenue, Melrose/Ratcliffe, Monette Street and Texas Street. The city will provide $9,000 of the $180,000 alotted for the project.

4 Granted James Johnston, community development director, permission to contract for spray grounds in North Natchez Park and reimburse Catholic Charities for May expenses. They also approved a resolution allowing Smith to sign Community Development Block Grant documents.

4 Aprroved a recommendation made by Brown to modify a lease with Auburn antebellum house, allowing the sale of items under $200.

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