CITIZEN STAFF REPORT

WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — Mayor Charles Hatfield of the City of Williamson resigned Friday afternoon after an emergency Williamson City Council meeting.

The meeting was held at 4:30 p.m. Hatfield’s replacement has not been named, but an appointment is scheduled next week.

The resignation comes as Hatfield stands accused of stealing federal funds while he was chief executive of Williamson Memorial Hospital from September 2018 to September 2019, according to federal court documents.

Hatfield said he is not being forced to resign and is doing so voluntarily. He said his situation with Williamson Memorial Hospital is a “distraction” for the city, and he wants it to progress without any distractions.

Documents also say Hatfield is scheduled to plead guilty May 30.

A special session was called Friday, where city council members named newly hired City Clerk Alma Smith to the position after there was a tie vote between two other candidates. A vote for council members Joseph Bucci and Mike Casey ended in a deadlock, making Smith the interim mayor until the council meets again to make another move to fill the position.

Back in September 2023, Hatfield stepped into the role of interim police chief after Chief J.C. Dotson resigned. One week later, Lt. Jimmy Spence, an 18-year veteran of the Williamson Police Department, was named interim chief.

That appointment came after the same council members voted back in the Spring 2023 to take away Hatfield’s responsibility of signing checks for the city.

Former Police Chief Grady Dotson had filed a lawsuit against Hatfield after his dismissal last year.

In a lawsuit filed Nov. 6, Dotson, the former Police Chief of Williamson, alleges that he faced demotion and a salary reduction as a consequence of revealing evidence of financial misconduct by city officials to the FBI. The lawsuit targets the City of Williamson for what Dotson claims is retaliation for his whistle-blowing activities.