Trustees consider pension-attorney retainer vs. as‑needed counsel; volunteer to solicit proposals

Trustees raised the absence of their expected outside counsel (Sugarman & Susskind) and discussed options for legal coverage of pension matters.

Chair (S4) and trustees noted the value of having a pension attorney with experience and suggested soliciting proposals. Jessica (S8) said the current monthly retainer arrangement was approximately $1,000 a month and suggested the board compare the retainer model with an as‑needed arrangement that could be less costly for smaller plans.

"I think there is a discount right now if you stay, but it's, you know, it's typically about 1000 dollars a month," Jessica said when comparing retainer costs and the pay-as-needed option.

Trustees asked staff to reach out to the longtime attorney referred to as Pedro and to collect a written proposal for both retainer and as‑needed fee structures; staff agreed Jessica would contact Pedro to request a proposal. Trustees also discussed the value of using a pension-specific attorney rather than relying solely on the city attorney for plan-specific matters.

No formal action was taken to hire counsel at the meeting; trustees asked staff to return with written proposals and cost comparisons for a future decision.