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GREENSBORO - Yet another attorney is being named to handle the county's top legal work.

Matt Mason is expected to become the third interim county attorney in three months, pending approval from the Board of Commissioners, Chairman Melvin "Skip" Alston confirmed Wednesday.

If approved, Mason will move over from his job as attorney for the Guilford County Sheriff's Office.

"We have not missed a beat whatsoever," Alston said, as the county Wednesday went without an official attorney.

Mason will advise the Board of Commissioners and handle the county's litigation and contracts, among other legal issues.

The most recent interim county attorney, David Smith, worked part time for less than three weeks and resigned without warning Tuesday. Deputy County Attorney Mike Newby resigned Friday; he had

filled the interim role after former County Attorney Sharron Kurtz resigned in December.

Alston said the resignations were independent of work he or Vice Chairman Steve Arnold have done since they were elected to lead the commissioners.

"Mike Newby left because he got a job with Davidson County and David Smith left for unknown reasons," Alston said.

Both Alston and Arnold have repeatedly said that their goal is no property-tax rate increase for next year. Both have made it apparent that they will do what it takes to get there.

How that relates to the churn in the county attorney's office is unknown.

"You've got me wondering what the heck is going on," said Commissioner Bruce Davis, who has supported Alston and Arnold's budget-reduction goals.

Other commissioners speculate that because attorneys can often easily find other legal work, they are leaving a county in upheaval.

More than 30 county jobs were cut in a layoff last week. And just weeks after Alston and Arnold took power in December, three of the county's top administrators left. The Board of Commissioners hires and fires the county manager, attorney, clerk and tax director.

"I can't imagine any attorney worth their salt would want to work for Guilford County," said Commissioner Paul Gibson, a vocal opponent of Alston and Arnold's moves to replace the county manager and attorney.

"On the state level, I hear it all the time," Gibson said. "People think that Guilford County is a big joke."

Contact Gerald Witt at 373-7008 or gerald.witt@news-record.com