Auditor's complaint and a heated appeal revive the push to fire the county council's attorney

What happened

A council member renewed a motion to fire the council's attorney, citing a written complaint from the county auditor — who told the council by email that the attorney doesn't represent all seven members equally and is "argumentative and difficult to reach" — and citing last week's Sunshine meeting, where the attorney packed up and stood to leave before answering a resident's question about a newly formed review committee. Council President Steve Ellis ruled the motion out of order, saying council rules make the attorney his own appointment rather than a matter the full council votes on; Councilman Randy Gentry raised the point of order backing that reading of the rules (Point of order, 15:13), the member appealed, and Ellis said he would take the question "under advisement" and research it before ruling further. This is the second time in a week the council has confronted whether to keep its attorney, after a first motion on Sept. 1 was seconded but never brought to a vote.

The outcome

No vote was taken; President Ellis ruled the motion out of order and took the question under advisement, saying he would look into it before the next meeting.

Sources

• Gentry raises the point of order, 15:13
• Motion cites the auditor's written complaint, 12:09
• "Argumentative and difficult to reach," 12:37
• "Packed up her belongings," 13:25
• Motion to terminate the attorney, 14:53
• Chair rules the motion out of order, 19:23
• Member appeals the ruling, 21:55
• Chair: "I will take this under advisement," 22:15
• Prior motion, Sept. 1, 4:10:35

Also known as: fire the county attorney · council attorney no confidence · county council attorney vote · attorney removal motion · auditor letter attorney complaint