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<br />r-n <br />~)~ <br /> <br />TUESDAY <br /> <br />JUNE 6, 1972 <br /> <br />appeared upset to the degree to cause me to believe, rightly or <br />wrongly, that he had already approached the local attorney of <br />his choice about employment in this case and without my <br />knowledge and without the knowledge of the City Manager or any <br />member of City Council. This is what Mr. West wrote me in a <br />letter I received on June 2nd" "If you are unwilling to accept <br />your due responsibility in concert with a local law firm, then, <br />I think you should consider resigning as City Attorney". <br /> <br />As I have stated, I have already employed the Danville Law Firm <br />of Clement, Wheatley, Winston and Ingram to assist me. I have <br />also conferred professionally with Mr. James H. Ford, the senior <br />member of a local law firm, who is a member of the City Planning <br />and as such is himself one of the defendants in this suit. <br /> <br />It is my opinion any disturbance of these arrangements will <br />alienate our professional efforts to defend the interest of <br />the City in this case. However, I am ready to abide by Council's <br />wishes. My actions in this case have been based entirely on <br />my best judgment; a sincere effort to put up the best defense <br />possible to a law suit the outcome of which could have tremendous <br />effect upon the community. <br /> <br />Subsequent comments by other members of Council present indicated that <br /> <br />the matter of engaging legal assistance to defend the City in the pending <br /> <br />suit had been discussed informally by City Attorney Cubine with said <br /> <br />members, with Mayor Renick summarily stating that the City Attorney had <br /> <br />asked Council for a decision regarding such legal assistance and (that) <br /> <br />Council had failed to render a decision; whereupon, Mayor Renick had <br /> <br />suggested that the City Attorney proceed as he saw fit..: Accordingly, <br /> <br />Mayor Renick expressed his opinion that the City Attorney has acted <br /> <br />properly in this matter. <br /> <br />Council then reviewed and discussed Chapter 7 of the City Charter and, <br /> <br />specifically, Section 3(g) thereof, with Vice-Mayor West maintaining <br /> <br />that--according to his interpretation--the City Attorney can engage no <br /> <br />legal assistance except "as shall be authorized by" City Council and, <br />