Council vets three firms to negotiate town-manager separation; moves to short interviews

At a public meeting April 21, the Town Council heard presentations from three law firms proposed to serve as special counsel to handle negotiations over the town manager’s accelerated leave or retirement. James Stokes of Stokes Law (in person), Brian Cooji of Allen Norton & Blue (by Zoom) and an associate from Gray Robinson each summarized experience with municipal exit negotiations, provided ballpark cost estimates and answered questions from council.

Stokes told the council he often recommends following written contract terms rather than contested litigation: “you’re probably better off just doing what the contract says than hiring any of us firms to bill you hourly to fight over something that should have already been predetermined in the contract.” Each firm estimated negotiated separations could be resolved in the low five-figure range (commonly $5,000–$10,000), while full investigations and litigated cause claims could exceed that by multiples and take years.

Council members split over whether to conduct public Q&A of the candidates that evening or to defer; they ultimately directed staff to schedule short private one-on-one interviews so councilors could ask sensitive or tactical questions. The council scheduled a follow-up to finalize counsel selection and authorized staff to coordinate interview times.

Next steps: short, private interviews with each candidate; the council will reconvene to select special counsel and direct negotiations.