Diamondhead council votes to replace Alan Moran as mayor pro-tem after arrest
The Diamondhead City Council voted in favor of naming Ward 4 councilman Charles “Chuck” Clark as the city’s new mayor pro-tem.
Clark is replacing Ward 2 Councilman Alan Moran, who had been serving as mayor pro-tem his unanimous appointment at a July 6 meeting.
Mayor Nancy Depreo made the motion to appoint Clark to the position, effective immediately. Ward 3 Councilman Ricky Sheppard had authored the resolution calling for a vote to replace Moran as mayor pro-tem at Wednesday night’s meeting.
Moran did not attend the meeting. He has been a no-show at each council meeting since his Feb. 14 arrest on misdemeanor charges of simple assault and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Moran is in his second term as Ward 2 councilman.
A mayor pro-tem takes over the mayoral duties in the event of the mayor’s absence or disability.
Hancock County sheriff’s deputies arrested Moran at a convenience store in Kiln on Valentine’s Day.
Moran is accused of buying a 17-year-old beer and inappropriately touching the boy’s genitals while the two were in a Phillip’s Pest Control truck. The pest control company is owned by Moran’s father, Republican State Sen. Philip Moran.
The teen’s father and others detained Alan Moran at the convenience store until Hancock County sheriff’s deputies got to the scene to make the arrest.
Alan Moran threw out one of his cellphones at the store, but sheriff’s deputies later recovered it.
The mayor and council have not commented on the arrest despite calls from residents to do so.
Attorney Donald Rafferty is representing Alan Moran in his criminal case.
“There are two sides to every story,” Rafferty said Wednesday. “We look forward to our day in court. Right now, the justice system is working. As long as the criminal matter is pending, we are limited in what we can say.”
Moran is currently free on a total bond of $5,000.
City Manager Michael Reso said the city had not received any indication from Moran of any plans to resign from his position as of midday Wednesday.
This story was originally published March 2, 2022 at 2:37 PM.
