The Florence Town Council on Sept. 2 accepted the resignation of town attorney Clifford Mathias, effective Sept. 18, 2025, and approved a month-to-month contract with the firm Cooper & Reeder LLP to provide interim legal services beginning Sept. 12, 2025.

Why it matters: The town attorney provides legal advice to the council and represents the town in court. Council members thanked Mathias for his decade of service and the firm's representative, Steven Cooper, said Cooper & Reeder already provides similar services to nearby municipalities and would handle council meetings and municipal-court matters while the town pursues a permanent replacement.

The contract approved by the council sets a monthly retainer of $12,833.33 and an additional hourly rate of $200 for services beyond the retainer. Cooper told the council the firm would make itself available to staff and provide coverage for council meetings and municipal court proceedings.

Council members who had met Cooper at the League of Cities and Towns noted recommendations from regional peers and expressed appreciation for a rapid transition to maintain continuity of legal services. The council approved both the resignation acceptance and the interim contract during the meeting.