Greensboro officials are hiring a law firm to fight a bid by legislative Republicans to restructure the city council. City officials hired the firm Brooks Pierce to lobby lawmakers against the legislation and help form a legal strategy if the fight goes to court.
Senate Bill 36 would reduce the size of Greensboro's city council, redraw districts and strip the mayor's vote in most circumstances.
The News and Record reports that at Tuesday night's council meeting, Councilman Tony Wilkins objected to the city spending $25,000 to lobby on the issue, saying it was a waste of money.
City Attorney Tom Carruthers said there was a consensus on the council to move forward with the contract, which didn't require a full vote because it's a service contract for less than $30,000.
SB36 easily sailed through the N.C. Senate and likely will be taken up next week by a committee in the House.
The contract with Brooks Pierce says the firm may help the city form a legal challenge to the constitutionality of the bill.
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