FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Tontitown Mayor Angela Russell was found by a Washington County court on Sept. 30 to have misused public funds to pay for private legal representation for herself and others in a lawsuit opposing the Eco-Vista landfill expansion.

A lawsuit filed by attorneys Joey McCutchen and Stephen Napurano on behalf of Washington County resident Mick Wagner originally alleged that Russell and the city of Tontitown improperly used taxpayer money to advance private interests.

According to the ruling, the court found that Russell violated Arkansas law by using more than $15,000 of the city's funds to pay for the legal representation of Richard Mays Law Firm.

The court also finds that the city never entered into any engagement agreement with Mays. The ruling says that th

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