As the JFP goes to press, City Council is set to hold a vote of no confidence in City Attorney Sarah O'Reilly-Evans at the May 22 council meeting. Council members Margaret Barrett-Simon, Leslie McLemore, Marshand Crisler and Council President Ben Allen sponsored the resolution.
Those members claim that O'Reilly-Evans represents Mayor Frank Melton alone rather than the mayor and the council, as her position requires.
"The thing is, both branches of government are in need of representation. Without it, we're vulnerable, and we put ourselves into potential liability. The main thing is to send a message that we're not represented by our legal council," Crisler said.
Allen said O'Reilly-Evans' dedication to Melton has forced council members to seek pro-bono counsel from Phelps Dunbar LLP on legal matters she refuses to address. The council recently sought counsel on Melton's creation of new government positions for his favored associates, the legality of some contract work with the city and on O'Reilly-Evans' employment agreement—which allows her to collect additional money on city bond issues beyond her $113,000 regular salary.
McLemore acknowledged that the resolution has no teeth, but it is intended to put the mayor's office on notice. He said the move could hardly cause further ill will between the two branches of government, given how far that relationship has already deteriorated.
"The damage is already done," McLemore said. "This is going to be a blow for goodness."
McLemore added that the council was already speaking with state legislators on the prospect of submitting a bill during the next session that would change state law by allowing the council to have its own legal representation.
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