Aldermen to decide on new city attorney

JACKSON, Mo. -- Thomas Ludwig, currently Jackson's city prosecutor, will be nominated Monday to become Jackson's next city attorney.

Ludwig was a partner in the same Jackson law firm as David Beeson, who served as Jackson's city attorney from 1990 until his unexpected death last month from a heart attack.

Jackson city administrator Jim Roach said the city decided to stay with the same firm in picking its new city attorney. "We have a good relationship already established," he said.

The city has been with the firm for 12 years. "We feel very confident and comfortable with their representation," said Mayor Paul Sander. "We see no reason to change course."

If the Jackson Board of Aldermen follows Roach's recommendation to appoint Ludwig at Monday's meeting of the Board of Aldermen, the new city attorney will decide whether to keep his prosecuting attorney duties or assign them to another lawyer in the firm.

Sander said Ludwig worked with Beeson on city cases. "He is very familiar with our issues."

Mary Boner, who filled in as city attorney when Beeson was absent, is a member of the same firm.

Cautioning that he didn't want to talk about the job until the appointment has been made, Ludwig would only say "I'm hopeful."

Roach recommends an individual, not a firm, for the job, but said: "Obviously it's kind of a package deal. We know we're going to get the full services of that attorney's firm."

Beeson also was the city attorney for the city of Perryville and represented the Jackson School District. Perryville already has appointed Ludwig its city attorney. The Jackson schools haven't yet taken up the issue.

In other business Monday, the board will consider requests by Southeast Missouri Medical Center Inc. to annex 19.1 acres of property at West Independence Street and Broadridge Drive and to rezone the property from single-family residential and general residential to local commercial.

sblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, ext. 182