Will The Mayor’s Remarks About Lawyers Complicate the Search For Dillon’s Next City Attorney?

As December begins, the City of Dillon is facing mounting pressure to fill its soon-to-be-vacant city attorney position while multiple lawsuits loom over the municipality.

The contract for the attorney currently representing the city is set to expire at the end of the year. With that deadline quickly approaching, the city has posted the position and is also exploring the use of a head-hunting agency in an effort to secure legal representation before year’s end.

During Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, council members questioned whether any applications had been received for the position. Mayor McGinley confirmed that one application had been submitted but said his impression was that the applicant was not genuinely interested in the job, prompting further discussion among council members.

After additional questioning, Mayor McGinley clarified that the individual had, in fact, applied and that he had spoken briefly with the applicant roughly two weeks earlier. He said he did not believe the applicant would accept the position even if it were offered. Mayor McGinley also stated that he did not feel he would be the appropriate person to conduct the interview process, remarking that he did not “like lawyers” and adding that “all lawyers are crooks.”

In response to the situation, the mayor suggested forming a City Council committee to handle interviews and oversee the hiring process.

Several council members expressed concern about the tight timeline, noting that forming a committee and coordinating interviews could further delay filling the position. The possibility of working with a head-hunting firm was discussed, though potential costs raised concerns. One firm reportedly requested a fee equal to 25 percent of the attorney’s annual salary, while another estimated the cost at more than $16,000.

With the contract deadline approaching and legal challenges looming, city officials continue to debate the most efficient path forward to ensure the City of Dillon has legal representation in place before the end of the year.