Council vs Mayor Over Legal Control | Columbia News

Chapin’s town council just voted to hire new attorney Ryan Hicks — but mayor Bill Mitchell is already refusing to pay him, sparking a bitter power struggle. The council, frustrated by Mitchell’s unilateral legal decisions, recently stripped him of executive authority over hiring counsel, voting 4-1 in favor of Hicks with Mitchell dissenting. The fallout comes as the town faces a $20 million lawsuit from Lexington County over Mitchell’s refusal to approve sewer taps for a major housing development — a decision that could break a contract and jeopardize the sale. Mitchell claims the wastewater plant can’t handle the load, while council members argue they now control finances and even passed a co-signature rule on checks to limit his spending power. With attorneys coming and going in just ten months and both sides threatening legal action, Chapin’s future hangs in the balance — and its legal representation is dangerously uncertain. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/9bdcc47922f9b99f