The City of Lipscomb has filed a lawsuit against Mayor Robin Sims II in Jefferson County Circuit Court, escalating an ongoing dispute over the city’s police chief and other municipal positions.
According to a complaint filed on March 10, the city is seeking a court order requiring Sims to recognize Lanita Neal as Lipscomb’s police chief and allow other officials approved by the city council to carry out their duties.
The legal filing marks the latest development in a dispute inside Lipscomb’s city government that has been unfolding since 2024 and has involved disagreements over personnel decisions, council authority and control of city operations.
The dispute dates back to September 2024, when then-Mayor Tonja Baldwin placed Police Chief Lanita Neal on administrative leave pending an investigation. The Lipscomb City Council later voted on October 28, 2024 to overturn the suspension, though Neal remained sidelined.
By September 2025, local reports claim the city was paying two police chiefs while Neal remained off duty and that Lipscomb had about $6,600 left in its general fund at the time. The report also described broader turmoil at City Hall, including disputes over finances, public records and access to council meetings.
The conflict expanded further in December 2025 when a Jefferson County judge ruled that three Lipscomb City Council members were unlawfully holding office because they did not meet residency requirements for their districts. The decision temporarily left the council without enough members to conduct official business.
Tensions resurfaced in early February when the council reconvened after the members were temporarily reinstated while the residency case continues.
At a February council meeting, Mayor Sims adjourned the session early. Council members remained and continued the meeting, voting to remove Interim Police Chief Dwayne Howard and reinstate Neal.
The dispute soon spread to other city offices. Court filings indicate Sims later told City Clerk William Baylor he was not the current clerk and should stop representing himself in that role.
On March 3, the council held an emergency meeting and approved several resolutions reaffirming Neal as police chief and Baylor as city clerk. Council members also voted to remove Sims from the city’s bank account, appoint Councilor Erskine Davis as treasurer and authorize legal action to enforce the council’s decisions.
The lawsuit filed March 10 asks the court to issue an injunction preventing Sims from interfering with those officials and to require the mayor to complete documentation needed for Neal to be recognized as police chief by state law enforcement agencies.
The complaint alleges Sims’ actions have prevented officials approved by the council from performing their duties and disrupted normal city operations.
The lawsuit asks the court to order Sims to comply with the council’s resolutions and allow the reinstated officials to carry out their responsibilities.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
