Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Personnel Appointment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
After executive session Dorchester County Council moves to engage William R. Hearn Jr. as successor county attorney
Summary
Following an executive session on two contractual matters including the selection of a successor county attorney, council voted to engage William R. Hearn Jr., subject to an acceptable contract; Councilman Hearn had excused himself and been recused from deliberation on that matter.
The Dorchester County Council held an executive session on Nov. 17 to discuss two contractual matters: the purchase-and-sale agreement for 500 North Main Street and the selection of a successor county attorney.
Before the session, Councilman William R. Hearn Jr. announced he would excuse himself from the balance of the meeting and provided a written statement to be entered into the minutes; he said he had applied and been interviewed for the successor county attorney position and therefore had a potential conflict of interest. County Attorney Frampton led the executive-session request, saying the meeting would address these two contractual items.
After returning from executive session the council considered a motion to "engage William R. Hearn Jr. as successor county attorney," subject to an acceptable employment contract to be negotiated by the chairman and county administrator with the county attorney and approved by council. The motion passed with six in favor, one absent and one recused. Council directed that the chairman and county administrator negotiate the contract and return it for council approval.
Why it matters: the council completed a personnel decision that involves a sitting council member who recused himself due to his candidacy for the position. The approval is conditional on a negotiated employment contract and subsequent council approval of that contract.
