City attorney fee hike sparks heated council debate

During a recent city council meeting, discussions centered around a request from the city attorney to review and potentially increase their hourly fees for the first time in six years. City Attorney Andrade proposed raising the rate from $200 to $275 per hour, citing inflation and comparisons to other local attorneys, whose rates range from $300 to $310 per hour. Some council members suggested a compromise of $250 per hour.

Concerns were raised by council member Mitchell regarding the attorney's adherence to contract stipulations, including issues related to billing frequency and representation. Mitchell highlighted that the attorney had not consistently billed the city every 30 days as required and questioned the attorney's practice of presenting himself as city staff, which he argued contradicts the terms of the contract.

Andrade defended his practices, stating that the contract does not explicitly require monthly invoices but rather updates and itemized statements. He emphasized that his billing rates have historically been comparable to those of previous counsel.

The council agreed to revisit the fee adjustment in a future meeting, with members expressing the need for clarity on the attorney's compliance with contractual obligations before making any decisions on the proposed increase.