Published: June 30, 2009 11:18 am      

Jeffersonville City Council to gauge attorney interest

It accepts Wilder’s resignation; forms committee to handle search

A three-member Jeffersonville City Council committee will begin a search aimed at replacing its former attorney, Larry Wilder.

Wilder offered his resignation last week, days after he was found by Jeffersonville Police Department officers asleep in his neighbor’s trash can after a night of drinking. The council accepted his resignation during a special meeting Monday night.

Council President Connie Sellers, along with council members Keith Fetz and Barbara Wilson, will make up the committee.

The group will take proposals from local attorneys during the next two weeks and make a recommendation to the full council by July 29, under a plan that was approved Monday.

“Attorneys that are interested will meet your schedule,” Councilman Ron Grooms said, meaning that lawyers interested in the job will have to move quickly.

“I thought we needed to have a plan as we move forward,” said Councilman Nathan Samuel, who suggested the committee be formed. The committee will publish a request for proposals in local newspapers, to which attorneys interested in the job can respond.

Samuel also said the attorneys should provide conflict of interest statements to identify any relationships or representation that might pertain to city legal matters. The council also approved a motion allowing Sellers to hire attorneys in the event that one is needed prior to the new attorney being hired. The matter of Wilder handling pending litigation wasn’t discussed.