By Jessica Boehm | The Republic
The Surprise city attorney will report directly to the city council after council members on Tuesday voted to undo a controversial 2015 ordinance that changed the attorney’s boss.
The purpose of the 2015 change — and the purpose of the switch back — were the same: to keep the city attorney independent from undue influence.
But the question that divided the council is whose influence needs checking. One group wants to insulate the attorney from individual council members while the other wants to protect him from pressure from the city manager.