Wilson's Mills council approves attorney contract renewal, adds finance officer as bank signatory

Wilson's Mills Town Council on April 20 approved several administrative items including a three-year renewal of the town's contract for legal services, a resolution to add Finance Director Connie Lassiter as an authorized bank signatory, and appointment of voting delegates for the North Carolina League of Municipalities annual conference.

Town Manager Leighanna Worley reviewed the proposed agreement with Cauley Pridgen (attorney Gabriel Du Sablon), which raises hourly rates for principal attorney services from $185 to $250; associate attorney rates from $175 to $225; and paralegal rates from $75 to $125. Du Sablon told council the administrative and filing charges have rarely applied and offered to remove the additional administrative charges if council preferred. Council requested a wording change in the agreement to replace "Board of Commissioners" with "Town Council;" Attorney Du Sablon agreed to make that edit.

Finance Director Connie Lassiter presented a resolution to add her as an authorized signatory on town bank accounts to comply with N.C.G.S. 159-25(b), which requires checks or drafts on an official depository to be signed by the finance officer and countersigned by another official. Council adopted the resolution unanimously.

Council also appointed Mayor Fleta Byrd as the town's voting delegate to the North Carolina League of Municipalities conference and appointed Councilmember Carolyn Dobbin as the alternate.

Motions on these administrative items were approved unanimously; council asked staff to make the contract wording change before signatures and to follow up on any administrative billing practices if they arise.