FERRIDAY — A Ferriday alderman-elect has filed a lawsuit against the town less than a month before he will become a sworn elected official.

Elijah “Steppers” Banks was elected District B alderman in February, but June 2 he filed a lawsuit against the town, Mayor Gene Allen and the board of aldermen seeking damages plus interest for an action the town took almost seven years ago.

The lawsuit, filed in the Seventh District Judicial Court, alleges that on Oct. 3, 2001, Banks received a letter from then-mayor and now mayor-elect Glen McGlothin immediately suspending the business and liquor license for his nightclub, Club Steppers, located at 211 E.E. Wallace Blvd.

McGlothin said Tuesday that the business was closed in 2001 because it was a public nuisance.

“After a number of complaints and after enough people called, I did revoke the business license, which the mayor is allowed to do,” McGlothin said.

The business was the scene of several run-ins with the police, including one where a police officer was shot, McGlothin said.

The suit alleges that the suspension of the business’ licenses was improperly executed, but it did not elaborate as to how.

The business’ occupational and liquor licenses were on the agenda for the Oct. 9, 2001, Ferriday board of aldermen meeting, but the aldermen did not re-issue the license at that time.

It is because the board of aldermen did not re-issue the licenses that the closure “continues to this day to cause damage to the petitioner (Elijah Banks) as the owner of Club Steppers,” the suit alleges.

Attorney Anna Ferguson, who was the town attorney at the time of the closure and who will serve as town attorney under the new mayoral administration, said she remembered the closure but did not feel comfortable commenting about the lawsuit until she officially becomes town attorney.

“I’ve never heard of an alderman suing the town before, but there is a first time for everything,” Ferguson said.

It is interesting that Banks waited seven years to file his lawsuit, McGlothin said.

“I think it would be hard for him to represent the town and sue them at the same time,” McGlothin said.

Banks could not be reached for comment.