Patricia Kelly
Mayor Steve Bach hopes to have a new city attorney by the time Patricia Kelly leaves next month.
“The mayor is beginning the process (of finding a replacement) and will be interviewing candidates for the position,” Cindy Aubrey, the city’s chief communications officer, said today.
Kelly, who has worked for the city for more than 25 years, announced her resignation Friday.
Her resignation, effective Sept. 30, comes after Bach told The Gazette that he was disappointed that Kelly had failed to consult him before drafting a series of proposed charter changes that would have taken away some of his authority.
Aubrey said she was “not sure” whether the mayor would conduct a nationwide search or look for a replacement from within the City Attorney’s Office.
The job has not yet been posted on the city’s website.
City Council President Scott Hente said the mayor would have a couple of good choices if he decided to find a replacement in-house, though Hente declined to give names.
“I have gotten to know a couple of the more senior attorneys over there fairly well. I am very impressed with a couple of them,” he said.
“If he chose one of those, I would be very happy,” Hente added. “If I was in his position, I think I would tend to pick one of those individuals.”
Kelly oversees about 30 attorneys and 27 support staff, according to the city’s website.
“As City Attorney, she is responsible for representation of the City in all cases in federal and state court where the City has an interest and further, is the chief legal advisor to the City Council, all Boards and Commissions, the City Manager, Utilities Executive Director, Board of Trustees of Memorial Hospital, as well as the staffs of their respective organizations, and all other enterprises and appointees of the City,” the website states. “Additionally, the City Attorney’s Office is charged with prosecution of all cases docketed into Municipal Court.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPOZfre6Qgk
Another person pushed out who got on the wrong side of Herr Bach