Charles Miller will serve as both city attorney and city prosecutor in Magnolia.
Aldermen formally appointed Miller as prosecutor in a special meeting Monday.
Mayor Anthony Witherspoon said Miller noted that the city’s Oct. 3 board agenda included an item to appoint him city attorney but not prosecutor.
“We want Mr. Miller to have full capacity to function as the city prosecutor as well,” Witherspoon said.
The vote passed 3-0 with Alderwoman Becky Magee and Aldermen Clarence Burton Jr. and Antonio Martin present. Aldermen Joe Cornacchione and Darrell Pounds were absent.
The dual positions represent the same arrangement the town had with Wayne Dowdy, who left the posts after citing scheduling conflicts.
“Mr. Dowdy not only served in the capacity of city attorney, but he also served in the capacity of city prosecutor as well,” Witherspoon said.
In his resignation letter, Dowdy wrote, “I have enjoyed my work for Magnolia. I am very proud of a number of accomplishments. One was the court-approved annexation of the retail shopping area located east of the Little Tangipahoa River while Dr. Jim Storer was Mayor.
“The other was the annexation of the Love’s Travel Store property on Interstate 55, during the service of Mayor Melvin Harris. Not only was Magnolia successful in having the annexation approved, but I am very proud that Mayor Harris and I worked an agreement with Love’s under which Love’s paid the entire cost (almost $750,000.00) for sewer extension by Magnolia to its property.”
Witherspoon said during the Oct. 2 work session that Dowdy will still assist the city of Magnolia in a pending annexation of other property along Interstate 55 near Love’s.
