By JOHN THOMPSON
Staff Writer

After nearly two months, the Great Tyrone Attorney Controversy may soon be over.

The town has been engaged in a divisive debate since the end of June when the contract of town attorney John Mrosek was not renewed.

Mayor Richard Santiago has nominated three different candidates for the position, but each one was shot down by Councilmen Ray Bogenschutz, Lisa Richardson and Ronnie Cannon.

Late Monday afternoon, Cannon sent a memo to Santiago offering a compromise to the bitter struggle. While Cannon still believes Mrosek is the best candidate, he knows the town needs to get back to business and offered his support for one of three solutions:

· The council appoint Mrosek as town attorney and solicitor.

· The council appoint Brad Sears as town attorney and appoint Mrosek as solicitor.

· The council appoint Brad Sears as town attorney and Ted Meecker, who works in Sears' firm as solicitor.

If the council could not agree on one of the solutions, Cannon said his only other choice would be to change the charter under the Home Rule Act and relieve the mayor of his appointment authority.

If the council accepted one of his solutions, Cannon asked the appointments last only until next January when the new town council would take power. Santiago and Councilman Bill Stone have already announced they will not seek reelection and Cannon said the new council could then make their own choice.

Tuesday morning, Santiago said he had forwarded Meecker's resume to the town's judge, Sharon Pierce, for her recommendations.

If Pierce says Meecker's qualified, Santiago plans to recommend Sears and Meecker as the town attorney and solicitor.

"I haven't talked to Mr. Sears yet, but I plan to contact him as soon as possible," Santiago said.

The mayor said the town's appointments used to start at the beginning of each year, but the council got off-track one year and never got back to the January appointments.

"This will put us back on track," he said.

The town will consider the compromise at the Aug. 20 meeting.