Stanford city attorney bows out; former county attorney steps in

Long-time Stanford City Attorney Carol Hill announced Thursday she has stepped down from her position.

Hill began serving as city attorney in 1998.

"I have enjoyed serving with each and every mayor, each and every council member I have worked with," she told Stanford City Council members during the council meeting, with tears streaking her face. "I look back on a lot of things I have done with the city of Stanford with a lot of satisfaction."

Hill said her decision was a matter of managing her time, and she had too many different things going on.

"Something's got to give," she said.

Mayor Bill Miracle said he has appreciated Hill's work during his time leading the city.

"You've done an excellent job and you will be missed," he told Hill.

Former mayor and current councilman Eddie Carter reminisced with Hill about old times, including when they "weathered the storm drain improvement project."

"You led us through that," Carter said. "We won, we came out as good as we possibly could. I appreciate your dedication."

Councilman Mike Southerland said Hill's work made him and the council more confident in their own work.

"There was never a time we had a meeting that I didn't feel confident that if you didn't have the answer, then by the next meeting you would have the answer," he said.

Hill will be replaced by former Lincoln County Attorney and Crab Orchard City Attorney John Hackley.

City Council approved unanimously Miracle's hiring of Hackley, who served as Crab Orchard city attorney from 1991-1997 and as Lincoln County attorney from 1998-2006.

"I leave you all in very good hands and I thank you all for letting me serve," Hill said.

Hackley brushed off compliments about his legal prowess from Hill and Miracle and told an anecdote about how he fumbled through his first years as an attorney.

Stanford, Hackley said, is a bigger city than Crab Orchard and a different animal from a county, so there's much for him to learn.

"I guess I should just learn to fake it like I did my first three years," he joked.

Hill said she will continue in her roles as assistant Commonwealth's attorney and Hustonville city attorney.