At Monday night’s Newton City Council meeting, councilors voted 5-1 to terminate the employment of long-time city attorney Darrin Hamilton and to contract with a Des Moines law firm for future legal services.

When Mayor Michael Hansen announced the resolution had been adopted, Hamilton walked out of the meeting.

Councilor Dennis Julius was the lone dissenting vote. He pointed out that most cities save money with employment retirement, not termination.  He was also skeptical of the projected savings the city would save from terminating Hamilton’s contract.