NATCHEZ — The Natchez Board of Aldermen spoke publicly for approximately three minutes Monday about its plans to redistrict its six wards.

Behind closed doors, however, they went into deeper detail.

“We’re going into an executive session to discuss litigation strategy,” said City Attorney Hyde Carby, referring to a federal lawsuit filed by former Natchez Mayor Phillip West and others who allege the city’s current wards unfairly represent voting populations.

Chad Mask of Jackson-based Carroll Warren and Parker provided outside legal counsel for the board during the executive session while Mike Slaughter of Slaughter and Associates, based out of Oxford, provided insight for drafting the new, proposed districts.

“The court has recently issued an order with multiple deadlines,” Carby said of the lawsuit, which was filed May 22. “We will need to meet all of those pretty quickly.”

West, who was present for the aldermen’s brief public meeting, said the city needs to redraw its ward lines so it can stay in compliance with state law, which mandates cities redraw voting districts after every U.S. Census.

Ward lines haven’t been changed since 2000, and the last census was taken in 2010.

“They are operating under lines that are mal-proportioned,” West said. “They need to be changed.”

West said he submitted a redistricting plan to the city for consideration.

However, West would not give any details about that plan.

He said his attorney, Ellis Turnage, would discuss the plan with the city’s attorney.

“I don’t know if their planner (Slaughter) has drawn something or not,” West said.

The city last attempted to redistrict in 2011, but the districts were left untouched after the U.S. Justice Department rejected the proposed plan — on Election Day — because it did not reflect the population shifts from the 2010 census.

“We just want them to comply with the law,” West said.

All aldermen were present in the executive session, which lasted approximately an hour and a half.

The city is currently paying Carroll Warren and Parker $200 an hour for legal service.

Slaughter and Associates was hired at a cost between $5,000 and $8,000.

Ward 1 Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis served as mayor pro tem for Natchez Mayor Butch Brown, who was in Arkansas attending a meeting about the Mississippi Rivers and Towns Initiative.