Webbers Falls Mayor Jewell Horne will not draw the $1,000 per month she was authorized to receive earlier this month as head of the East Central Oklahoma Water Authority, she said Monday.

Horne and Trustees Robert Ogg and Loren Dwyer voted for the $1,000 salary at the Authority’s meeting Oct. 13.

The next day, Town Attorney Troy Wayne Poteete issued an opinion that Horne cannot be paid for management of the East Central Oklahoma Water Authority, which operates the town’s water system.

The members of the Authority are the same as those who serve on the Board of Trustees.

In his written opinion, Poteete cited a 2003 state attorney general’s opinion that he felt precluded Horne from being paid anything other than for her direct expenses.

Horne immediately “halted the processing of any payment pursuant to the Board action,” Poteete’s opinion stated.

Horne said Poteete’s opinion had nothing to do with his future representation of the town having been listed on an agenda for a special meeting tonight.

The agenda for that meeting stated discussion of Poteete’s employment would be held in executive session. Town Clerk Susan Dwyer said no executive session will be held, because the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act states only regular employees of the public entity can be taken to a closed session. Poteete works under a contract.

The item may still be discussed tonight, but not in executive session, Horne said.

The discussion of Poteete’s contract is one of three items on the agenda for the 6 p.m. meeting. Also to be discussed is policy and procedures for the police department and whether the town will request an investigative audit of the state Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training.

The town has been without a police department for several weeks because CLEET officials ruled there could not be a police department without a chief of police.

Town officials have questioned whether CLEET has the authority to close their police department.

The Board of Trustees is also to meet in special session at 10 a.m. today to discuss action on replacing the town’s failing sewer system.

Horne said the town is under a consent order from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality to make improvements to its sanitary sewer lines.

The meeting is being held at 10 a.m. because that is the only time the engineer has available to meet with the board, Horne said.

The board also will discuss possible funding for the work, Horne said.