By JOHN THOMPSON
Staff Writer

And the search goes on....

After a compromise was offered Aug. 10 by Tyrone Councilman Ronnie Cannon, residents of the shamrock village came to last Thursday's town meeting thinking they would finally get an attorney.

Instead, residents were treated once again to another episode of the battling town council.

There is a chance the attorney and town solicitor could be appointed this week if the council gets a favorable recommendation from Town Judge Sharon Pierce on Ted Meeker as the town's solicitor.

In a letter to the council and mayor dated Aug. 12, Pierce said she did not see any specific reference to solicitor's experience and said her recommendation for town solicitor was John Mrosek.

Tyrone has been without a town attorney and solicitor since June 30 when Mayor Richard Santiago decided not to select Mrosek as the town attorney and chose Newnan attorney Mitch Powell to handle the town's legal affairs.

The council rejected Powell and also rejected other candidates Santiago has recommended. The latest candidate rejected was Brad Sears of Newnan, but Cannon said on Aug. 10 that he could support Sears' candidacy if the term was limited to January of next year when the new town council comes to power.

But when it came time to vote Thursday, Santiago's recommendation was for Sears to be named attorney and his associate Meeker to be named town solicitor.

Cannon wanted to appoint Sears as the attorney and wait on a recommendation from Judge Pierce for the solicitor's position.

Santiago did not want to wait.

"My offer tonight is for Sears and Meeker," he said.

The mayor said he had already compromised by agreeing to let the term end in January instead of the normal one-year appointment. The mayor said additional information about Meeker's municipal law background had been sent to Pierce, but said he really wasn't that concerned about her recommendation. Santiago also reiterated his stance that Pierce is merely a contractor for the town and contractors don't appoint other contractors to positions.

Cannon fired back by saying the town needed to get on with its business and hiring a town attorney would get the town back on track.

"We need a town attorney. The planning and zoning and the staff need some answers. Let's go ahead and take care of the town attorney. Let's get one piece out of the way," he said.

Councilman Ray Bogenschutz agreed with Cannon and said the council was trying to compromise.

The mayor said the option of appointing only a town attorney was not in front of the council and he would not hear any more discussion since "... it was beating a dead horse."

If Pierce has a favorable impression of Meeker after she's looked at his latest qualifications, Cannon said he would be willing to approve him as solicitor.