Committee debates charter shift for corporation counsel; sends bill to council with unfavorable recommendation

Bill 160 would move the Office of Corporation Counsel from the executive branch into the legislative branch, give the council primary authority to appoint and remove the corporation counsel, and set six‑year terms modeled on the county auditor appointment process. Sponsors said the change is intended to reduce political influence and provide continuity across administrations.

Deputy Corporation Counsel Diana Mellon Lacy and Corporation Counsel Elizabeth Strantz cautioned that the office represents the entire county and regularly advises dozens of departments; Strantz warned that placing the office solely under the council could create awkward operational relationships with the executive branch, hamper coordination in litigation and depart from common municipal structures. "The corporation council is charged with responsibility to the entire county," Strantz told the committee, noting the office’s heavy operational ties to departments across the executive branch.

Supporters argued a selection process similar to the county auditor’s independent search would depoliticize hiring and give the council a stronger voice in the county’s chief legal advisor. Opponents raised separation‑of‑powers concerns and suggested other models—such as a standalone department or a collaborative selection panel including administration and council representatives—might meet the goal with fewer structural risks.

On roll call the committee was split: the motion to forward the bill with a favorable recommendation failed in committee. The clerk recorded that the measure will proceed to the full council with an unfavorable committee recommendation, allowing the full council (and ultimately voters if the charter amendment proceeds) to weigh the proposal with the committee’s concerns on record.