Glenwood Mayor Billy T. Smith has resigned from office after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor theft of property charge and abuse of office.
In August 2021, the attorney general's Public Integrity Division revealed that Smith hired a private company to transport thousands of dollars' worth of asphalt millings from the Arkansas 70 resurfacing project to his home and to the home of his son-in-law to resurface their private driveways.
Smith was charged with the crimes in March and signed a plea statement on Monday, the same day he tendered his resignation letter to the Glenwood City Council.
"It is a sad day for me, in that I have devoted tremendous time and energy to the office of mayor," Smith wrote in the letter. "The status of Glenwood's infrastructure has greatly improved in the last 3.5 years and for that we can be proud."
Smith was sworn in as mayor in January 2019.
Smith will pay restitution to the city of Glenwood in the amount of $3,000, a $250 fine and court costs, according to a news release from Attorney General Leslie Rutledge.
"Mayor Smith was elected to serve the people of Glenwood and instead he chose to use his position to privately and financially benefit himself," said Rutledge. "I urge any Arkansans concerned with potential fraud committed by public officials to contact our public integrity division immediately."