Mayor Wamp holds meet and greet for potential new county attorney for commissioners

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- There was a private meeting held Friday regarding who Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp wants as the next county attorney.He had attempted to fire the current attorney, Rheubin Taylor, when he took office in 2022

However, Taylor refused to leave, leading to a costly court battle in which a judge sided with Taylor to allow him to serve out the remainder of his contract.

That contract expires in June.

Mayor Wamp’s staff confirmed he invited county commissioners to a meet individually with a candidate in a private meeting that could replace Taylor in July.

Only three commissioners accepted and met with the candidate; Lee Helton, Gene-O Shipley, and Joe Graham.

Taylor has expressed interest in continuing to serve in his position beyond the expiration of his contract.

However, one of the commissioners leaked that the meeting was occurring, and that the candidate was attorney Jamie Parks Varnell.

Mary-Francis Hoots, Mayor Wamp’s communications director, said in a statement,

“Our office is disappointed that a county commissioner chose to leak a private meeting with a candidate for the position of county attorney.

As Chancellor Atherton ruled and CTAS has opined, when Rheubin Taylor’s contract expires on June 30th, Mayor Wamp has the power to appoint a new county attorney. Our office has been working with county commissioners to establish an appropriate transition for the county attorney’s office in the months ahead.”