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Council delays approval of planning consultant contract with Debbie Lazier
Summary
Mooresville Town Council tabled a proposed consulting agreement with planner Debbie Lazier so members can narrow scope and limit potential recurring costs; council asked staff for clearer cost controls and to assess internal capacity after impending staff retirement.
The Mooresville Town Council postponed action on a proposed consulting agreement with planner Debbie Lazier after members raised concerns about scope, billing and reliance on outside help.
Town staff circulated a draft that added two state-required clauses — an E-Verify provision and a nondiscrimination clause — and noted the consultant had worked with the town previously on its Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). A staff speaker explained the new clauses as standard and required by state law: "it has 2 clauses that are required by state law, and that's 10.12 and 10.13, the E Verify provision and the nondiscrimination clause."
Council members said they appreciated the consultant's prior work but worried the contract gave too much latitude for ad hoc requests and could create an open-ended expense if council members or staff began regularly relying on the consultant rather than using in-house answers. One council member urged a not-to-exceed cap and asked the planning commission and interim staff to assess whether the town needs external help after long-serving staff retire.
After the discussion, the council voted to table the contract to allow staff to return with additional limits and information on when and how the consultant would be used.
