Franklin hires interim law director

A Dayton-area attorney has been hired as Franklin’s acting law director.

Franklin City Council on Monday approved a one-year contract for Lynnette Dinkler to serve as acting law director. The position is required by the city’s charter.

Dinkler replaces Donnette Fisher, who resigned to become Xenia’s law director last month. Fisher was law director for 11 years.

The law director is the city’s legal advisor, attorney and counsel, serves all departments in the city and represents the city in all proceedings in court or before administrative boards.

According to the contract, Dinkler and other attorneys and paralegals with the firm of Dinkler Pregon LLC will provide legal services for the city at her direction.

The contract provides that Dinkler and other attorneys from Dinkler Pregon LLC who perform work on behalf of Franklin shall be paid $165.50 an hour for attorneys and $90 an hour for paralegals.

Dinkler’s contract can be terminated without cause with 30 days written notice, and the contract shall automatically renew at the end of the one-year period for an additional year unless terminated by either party.

City Manager Sonny Lewis said about a dozen attorneys applied for the law director’s position by the Sept. 15 deadline. Council has not determined a timetable to select a permanent law director.

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