HIGH SPRINGS – After less than six months, the City of High Springs is on the hunt for a city attorney yet again. On Wednesday, July 11, Ray Ivey of the Law Offices of Scruggs & Carmichael, P.A. in Gainesville announced his resignation from the post as the High Springs city attorney.
In an email to commissioners, Ivey seemed to point to the city’s scheduling of frequent meetings as a chief reason for stepping down.
“Because I am concerned about my ability to attend all of the additional meetings that are necessary to accomplish City business, as well as the volume of work (which exceeds what I anticipated) as a result of the meetings, I must regretfully resign as City Attorney,” Ivey wrote in the email.
Although the commission’s regular commission meetings are scheduled just twice monthly, the second and fourth Thursday of each month, the commission has been meeting considerably more frequently than that. Between commission meetings, special commission meetings, emergency commission meetings, joint commission meetings, workshops and Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meetings, the commission has met as many as a dozen times in one month. Many of those meetings have lasted as long as five hours or more.
Ivey is just one in a long line of officials to part ways with the City over the last several months.
Former High Springs City Attorney Thomas DePeter resigned Jan. 13 when it became apparent that the majority of the commission intended to replace him in the ensuing weeks.
When pitching his firm to the commission in January, Ivey proposed a rate of $50 per hour up to 80 hours per month with no retainer or minimum required and additional time available at a negotiated rate. Also topping the list for attorney’s being considered earlier this year was Brent E. Baris, P.A. of High Springs. Baris proposed a rate of $100 per hour with an effective retainer or minimum of $3,000 monthly for 30 hours of services.
Ivey said he would continue to serve until commissioners hire a new city attorney. When that will be is not yet clear.
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Email editor@alachuatoday.com
HIGH SPRINGS – After less than six months, the City of High Springs is on the hunt for a city attorney yet again. On Wednesday, July 11, Ray Ivey of the Law Offices of Scruggs & Carmichael, P.A. in Gainesville announced his resignation from the post as the High Springs city attorney.
In an email to commissioners, Ivey seemed to point to the city’s scheduling of frequent meetings as a chief reason for stepping down.
“Because I am concerned about my ability to attend all of the additional meetings that are necessary to accomplish City business, as well as the volume of work (which exceeds what I anticipated) as a result of the meetings, I must regretfully resign as City Attorney,” Ivey wrote in the email.
Although the commission’s regular commission meetings are scheduled just twice monthly, the second and fourth Thursday of each month, the commission has been meeting considerably more frequently than that. Between commission meetings, special commission meetings, emergency commission meetings, joint commission meetings, workshops and Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meetings, the commission has met as many as a dozen times in one month. Many of those meetings have lasted as long as five hours or more.
Ivey is just one in a long line of officials to part ways with the City over the last several months.
Former High Springs City Attorney Thomas DePeter resigned Jan. 13 when it became apparent that the majority of the commission intended to replace him in the ensuing weeks.
When pitching his firm to the commission in January, Ivey proposed a rate of $50 per hour up to 80 hours per month with no retainer or minimum required and additional time available at a negotiated rate. Also topping the list for attorney’s being considered earlier this year was Brent E. Baris, P.A. of High Springs. Baris proposed a rate of $100 per hour with an effective retainer or minimum of $3,000 monthly for 30 hours of services.
Ivey said he would continue to serve until commissioners hire a new city attorney. When that will be is not yet clear.
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