Potential ethics violations and ineptitudes by the current Ocean Springs city attorney:
He failed to recuse himself from discussions on his contract/RFP; refused to leave room despite Board vote, violating AG opinions on conflicts of interest.
He pushed a secret PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances) contract in an improper executive session that would pay him a percentage of attorney fees under said contract.(self-dealing, potential §25-4-105 violation).
The Board of Aldermen unanimously voted in February 2025 to prohibit city attorneys from profiting by defending lawsuits arising from their own legal advice, but that key language disappeared from the officially approved minutes. The altered record later enabled the city to approve a contract for the city attorney that restored the very arrangement the board had publicly voted against.
He incorrectly told the Board of Aldermen that Mississippi law required the city to immediately approve him for a one-year contract or risk operating unlawfully without legal counsel. Several aldermen later concluded the law had been misstated, but a majority of the board nevertheless declined efforts to revisit or terminate the contract.
He gave misleading advice on executive session disclosures, press, and ethics penalties (threatened Alderman fines/removal inaccurately).
He filed a court action seeking to keep his résumé and application materials confidential after a public records request sought the submissions of all firms applying for the city attorney position.
Public trust in government depends on transparency, accurate legal guidance, and equal application of the law. When a city attorney provides advice that shields officials from scrutiny, misstates legal standards, or discourages public participation, the damage extends beyond any single vote or controversy — it erodes confidence in the integrity of the entire municipal process. Residents of Ocean Springs deserve legal counsel that serves the public interest rather than protecting political convenience.