Council budgets interim outside counsel and proposes executive assistant post

Council members voiced concern about legal costs after the departure of the previous in-house attorney and discussed budgetary options for outside counsel while the city considers permanent in‑house counsel. The council heard hourly-rate proposals (partners/principals ~ $3.25/hr, associates ~ $2.20–2.25/hr, paralegals ~ $1.50/hr) and debated a six‑month interim budget in the $150,000–$300,000 range.

One council member recommended a conservative budgeting approach: "Let's just put 200,000 in here and be done with it," while others urged staff to ask bidders for an estimate of hours per week (20–30 hours/week scenarios) so the council could model a realistic line item. Council asked staff to invite several outside firms to present and to produce apples‑to‑apples comparisons of outside counsel costs versus a capped in‑house salary (members suggested a $150,000 cap for in‑house counsel).

On staffing, council debated a new executive assistant position to support the city manager and recommended inserting a salary cap in the packet to permit recruitment; one council member proposed capping the position at $72,500 and moving to post immediately so the market would determine actual salary within that range.