Laserfiche WebLink
City Council Finance Committee <br />Meeting Minutes <br />August 28, 2018 <br />Page 4 of 5 <br />Water Attorney <br />Councilmember Leh stated we should get input from the Utility Committee and <br />staff. City Attorney Light stated the water engineer should be included. <br />Councilmember Stolzmann asked if there are ways to evaluate the work when <br />our water attorney is representing us jointly with other clients. We should be <br />proactive and have input from staff if we think problems may arise. City Attorney <br />Light stated we always make sure attorneys fully disclose their clients and cases <br />so we know what conflicts there may be. <br />Councilmember Leh stated we should evaluate how the water attorney is <br />reviewing our water rights and what changes we might need. <br />Staff will get examples of evaluation forms including input from city manager and <br />staff and if the appropriate scope of work and duties are being performed. <br />Councilmember Stolzmann asked how we measure cost accountability. <br />Councilmember Leh stated that might be hard, but can determine if we are <br />getting timeliness and good solid advice; getting answers when needed. <br />Measuring time efficiency is a challenge. <br />City Attorney Light stated an attorney can work to a set budget, but that would <br />need to be for general counsel work; litigation would be an outlier. City Manager <br />would have to manage expectations. Land use cases can be heavily driven by <br />the complexity of the transactions and by third party issues that are unexpected. <br />Clarifying the expectations of workload and what the deliverables are is helpful. <br />Municipal Judge and Prosecuting Attorney <br />There are examples of these from other municipalities. Staff will find some and <br />bring them back for consideration. <br />DISCUSSION/DIRECTION — 2019 CITY ATTORNEY FEES <br />City Manager Balser stated the City Attorney has submitted a new fee list for the <br />firm for 2019. <br />Councilmember Loo moved to recommend the City Council approve the fees as <br />presented. Councilmember Stolzmann seconded. <br />City Attorney Light noted the fees all take effect January 1 except for the charge <br />for the new principal attorney which will be in September as a new firm member <br />will be starting in September. <br />