Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council members clash over withdrawal of outside-counsel proposal; prior motion had been tabled 3–2
Summary
A proposed engagement of outside legal counsel was withdrawn by the contractor after private conversation with the mayor, prompting accusations from a councilor that the mayor bypassed council procedure. Council recalled a prior 3–2 vote to table a motion to hire the consultant; the matter drew extended debate but no new formal action tonight.
Councilors debated a recent withdrawal by an outside consultant originally proposed to provide neutral legal counsel and process advice. One councilor said the mayor "did an end run on a sitting councilor's motion" by privately contacting the consultant and that the consultant subsequently withdrew or narrowed her proposal; the mayor said he had spoken with the consultant and encouraged her to speak with council, denying that he had subverted the process.
The exchange referenced a prior council action in which the body voted 3–2 to table a motion related to the consultant. Councilors were divided over whether the withdrawal constituted a procedural breach; several members suggested pursuing alternatives such as trainings from the Carl Vinson Institute or other neutral resources. No formal vote or new motion was recorded at the meeting to reconstitute the consultant engagement.
