Edgewater City Council Votes Against Renewing City Attorney’s Contract

The Edgewater City Council this month voted not to renew the contract of City Attorney Aaron R. Wolfe. The vote took place during a meeting on January 5,  in a 3-2 vote. The majority vote not to renew Wolfe’s contract was formed by Mayor Diezel DePew, along with Council members Charlotte Gillis and Eric Rainbird. The dissenting two votes were Council members Mike Thomas and Debbie Dolbow, each of whom cast their votes in favor of renewal. In voting against his renewal, the City Council was generally appreciative of Wolfe’s tenure. There was praise for his job performance in defending the city against litigation. But ultimately, the prevailing sentiment was that a more proactive city attorney was necessary. “I feel Aaron has done a great job when it comes to defending the city,” said Councilwoman Charlotte Gillis as reported by Hometown News Volusia. “The analogy I’ve used is that Aaron is the wizard in the castle, who is defending it from other things, but I’ve wanted us to be proactive.” For the time being, Edgewater will be represented by Sabatini Law Firm until a new permanent city attorney is hired. Based out of Mount Dora, the firm is run by Lake County Commissioner Anthony Sabatini, a former state legislator known for his firebrand Republican politics. Sabatini represented Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris in his lawsuit against his own city over an alleged illegal appointment. For continuity, Wolfe will continue to represent the city in ongoing legal matters. After those conclude, his tenure with the Edgewater city government will have concluded.