Cookeville Outside Counsel Near Final Opinion On Shelton Hiring

The Cookeville City Council could have the outside counsel opinion on CRMC’s hiring of Mayor Ricky Shelton by next week.

City Manager James Mills said that time frame is not set in stone, but is a possibility. Mills said attorney William Carver has indicated he does not need to conduct any more individual conversations with the city council.

“We will have a written opinion, when that is presented we’ll submit it to each of the council members.” Mills said. “And then make a decision about how the opinion is announced publicly. But it will be announced eventually, publicly.”

Mills said it is still undecided if Carver will make a presentation at a future city council meeting. Mills said that Carver still needs to gather and review relevant documents.

“They’ll receive it, receive his opinion,” Mills said. “That will be up to the council as how they wish to proceed after they’ve received his legal opinion.”

William J. Carver is a attorney from the firm Kraymer Rayson LLP in Knoxville. His services were retained by the city to look into the hiring of Mayor Ricky Shelton as the Chief Strategy Officer at Cookeville Regional Medical Center