Southaven mayor seeks to block paycheck garnishment | News

SOUTHAVEN, MS- (WMC-TV) - Southaven Mayor Greg Davis is suing the City of Southaven and is also trying to get a temporary restraining order to prevent the state auditor from garnishing his city paycheck.

The lawsuit Davis filed was to restore the $35,000 stipend he received in addition to his salary, after the city's utility director drowned in 2010.

Davis and his attorney, Steve Farese maintain by cutting the stipend back in January the city lowered his salary.  The counter suit works to restore the stipend and prevent the board from making further cuts to the mayor's salary.

In January alderman Greg Guy, working as mayor pro-tem during the mayor's lengthy medical leave, cut the mayor's stipend because he wasn't acting as director of the utility department and hadn't for years.   In fact a new utility director was hired shortly after the drowning.

The mayor's lawsuit is a counter suit to the one the state auditor filed in an attempt to garnish the mayor's salary as repayment for the $73,000 he still owes the city as part of the ongoing spending scandal.

"I'm sure that Greg with his family and responsibility needs money but we as city officials must follow the city procedure before we can give him money we have to know that we are doing the right thing," Southaven Alderman, Lorine Cady said.  "The legal thing as well," she added.

Thursday, Davis' attorney, the Southaven city attorney and those representing the state auditor's office will be in Hinds County for what the auditor's office is calling a status update conference on the auditor's lawsuit and Davis' request for a restraining order. 

The Southaven Board of alderman is planning a special called meeting for later in the week to get an update from the city attorneys after tomorrow's legal proceedings.

Neither Greg Davis nor his attorney, Steve Farese responded to attempts for comment.

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