Bill Mann, the Little Rock chief deputy city attorney for more than 20 years, is retiring and has accepted a job with the Arkansas Municipal League.
City Attorney Tom Carpenter confirmed Mann's career move on Thursday. Carpenter said Mann informed him of his plans Monday. Mann did not immediately respond to a voice mail on his cellphone seeking comment Thursday evening.
Mann, 64, had planned to retire from the city, which Carpenter said coincided with an opening at the Arkansas Municipal League. His new job will be in the area of trial litigation, Carpenter said, though he wasn't sure of the exact title. Mark Hayes, executive director of the Municipal League, could not be reached Thursday evening.
The organization has had some shifts of its own over the past few months. Hayes served as general counsel for the league until taking over as executive director after the death of Don Zimmerman. He was selected as the new executive director in August and has since appointed senior legal counsel John Wilkerson to general counsel.
Michael Mosley, senior counsel at the league, accepted a job in the North Little Rock city attorney's office earlier this month.
Mann's last day will be Nov. 23. The city has not yet advertised the job opening. The city attorney, who hires the chief deputy city attorney, serves at the pleasure of the mayor. Since Little Rock will have a new mayor in January, Carpenter said he was hesitant to make a hire before the Nov. 6 election.
Carpenter did not know what Mann's retirement package would include, and the city's human-resources department could not be reached Thursday evening. Mann also will receive a retirement package from the state for his time serving as a clerk on the Arkansas Court of Appeals, he said.
Mann is paid $131,533 as chief deputy city attorney, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's database on the salaries of public officials. Carpenter said Mann might have a higher salary in the new role, but would have less administrative work than he does working for the city.
He said Mann would be missed.
"It's a loss to the office. He's an exceptional lawyer and an exceptional person," he said.
Mann joined the city attorney's office in 1991. He was named employee of the year in 2004 and 2007. In 2006, he received the Lawyer Community Legacy Award from the Arkansas Bar Association.
The city attorney's office provides legal representation and services pursuant to the city's goals to the Board of Directors as well as city officers and employees. That includes advice, preparation and review of contracts and other legal documents, prosecution of people accused of violating ordinances, and representation of the city and its officials in lawsuits.
Metro on 10/26/2018