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County Attorney Edward North has officially resigned his position according to Interim County Mayor Dennis Hunt.

Hunt said that the decision was budgetary, after the Budget and Finance Committee approved a draft of the fiscal budget for 2024-25 that cuts spending. This included a reduction from $125,000 to $65,400 for the county attorney.

Hunt told the Times that the county was beginning a search for a new county attorney.

The late Coffee County Mayor Judd Matheny appointed North as the temporary part-time Coffee County attorney, effective Oct. 1, 2022.  He followed longtime County Attorney Robert ‘Bob” Huskey who retired in 2022.

Prior to his retirement, Huskey presented the full County Commission a request for a raise for the position after 14 years at the rate of $52,000 budgeted at the time, plus retainer.  

Hunt said at the Budget and Finance meeting when he proposed the change in legal fees that if the county exceeds the $65,000, a budget amendment could be made to cover the overages.