The Twin Falls City Council unanimously fired its city attorney Monday evening.
The council voted 7-0 to fire city attorney Shayne Nope “without cause.” They didn’t discuss the motion ahead of time and did not state a reason for Nope’s firing.
In an email sent Thursday, Nope said, he’s grateful for his time with the city and respects the council’s right to terminate his employment without cause, but it “seems more credence was given to a couple individuals with an agenda.” He declined to elaborate further.
Mayor Ruth Pierce said in an emailed statement that the city appreciates Nope's contributions to Twin Falls over the past nine year.
"We did not make this decision lightly and spend considerable time discussing our organization," she said. "We collectively felt that we needed to move in a different direction.”
Nope was appointed in 2018 after serving as deputy city attorney for four years before that.
The previous city attorney, Fritz Wonderlich, held the position for 31 years.
Following Monday’s vote, Nope will be paid six months severance within ten days, for a total cost to the city of $95,724.60.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from Shayne Nope and Mayor Ruth Pierce.
Find reporter Rachel Cohen on Twitter @racheld_cohen
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