City attorney contract ensures six months' pay if fired

Council members offered City Attorney Patrick Baker the option to step down next year or receive a lump sum payment, WFAE reported

The following article appeared in the Nov. 1, 2024, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.

---

Forcing out Charlotte’s city attorney would cost at least $145,000, according to employment contract

City Attorney Patrick Baker, seen here at a City Council meeting in June, has been with the city since 2019. (Photo from City of Charlotte YouTube)

Charlotte’s city attorney is entitled to six months of pay if his employment is terminated without cause, under the terms of a 2019 contract.

Citing a confidential memo and interviews with unnamed City Council members, WFAE reported last week that the council and Mayor Vi Lyles are working to oust City Attorney Patrick Baker, the city’s top legal official. The memo didn’t cite a cause, but WFAE reported that several council members mentioned Baker’s decision in the spring to release a document he believed was a public record as a factor. We’ve heard it has to do more with general dissatisfaction than any single incident.