Havre de Grace board votes to retain outside counsel for legacies appeal

The Havre de Grace Board of Appeals voted on April 2 to retain outside counsel to represent it in an appeal related to the legacies project’s forest conservation plan, with the hire contingent on city council approval of the necessary budgetary item.

Staff said they circulated a list of municipal attorneys through the Maryland Municipal Attorneys Association and recommended Mr. Best for this isolated matter. A staff member described Mr. Best as ‘‘well-versed in municipal law, land use matters’’ and said his billing rate ‘‘is the same as mine currently for the city.’’

Board discussion noted the decision to call outside counsel appropriate because the board is an independent decision-making body and the appeal involved a staff-approved conservation plan. A motion to retain Mr. Best passed; staff said the retention will be presented to the city council for approval because it is a budgetary item.

The board did not record additional details about the contract terms or a multiyear engagement; the transcript indicates the retention is for this particular case only and will be considered by council as a separate budget item.