City clerk becomes the temporary mayor of Williamson

City officials in Williamson called a special session Friday to address the resignation and appointment of mayor but were unable to pass a vote for a new leader. Eyewtitness News reported City Clerk Alma Smith was named as mayor after a deadlocked vote prevented two other candidates from taking on the role. Council members Joseph Bucci and Mike Casey were nominated for the position, but a vote ended in a tie, placing Smith as mayor until the group meets again to reconsider. Smith stepped into her role as clerk last month. The emergency meeting was called as Charles Hatfield stepped down from his position as mayor amid a federal investigation. He’s accused of mishandling more than $30,000 belonging to the Williamson Memorial Hospital while he served as chief executive officer of the facility. The hospital filed for bankruptcy in October 2019. Court records indicate Hatfield is scheduled to plead guilty later this month.