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City attorney outlines workload mix, risk management transfer and staffing plans
Summary
City Attorney Karen Kapatrik reported that the legal department handled just under 400 routed documents in 2024, spends the largest share of its time on general advice and contracts, and plans to strengthen risk management, succession planning and automation while seeking to refill an attorney position.
City Attorney Karen Kapatrik gave a year-in-review to the Tumwater City Council on April 8, summarizing the city attorney’s office workload, recent changes and plans for 2025.
Kapatrik said the department is approved for three full-time-equivalent positions and that the additional attorney position the council approved last year is vacant after a one-year tenure by the prior hire. “We are in the process of … reevaluat[ing] it,” she said, adding staff are considering whether to modify the job description before re-filling the role.
Kapatrik described how the office tracks work more by fund than by project, and provided a time-allocation breakdown: roughly 40% general advice and preparation; 20% contracts and purchasing; 15% risk management; 15% litigation; and the remaining 8% for training, administration and other tasks. She told the council the office routed just shy of 400 formal documents in 2024 and that about 60% were contracts while 40% were matters such as real estate, plans, policies, ordinances, resolutions and code enforcement.
In 2024 the office updated the city’s purchasing manual and contract templates, provided trainings (OPMA, PRA and first-amendment topics among them) and absorbed the city’s risk-management function. Kapatrik said the risk transfer is a work in progress and credited paralegal Charlene Johansen as the department’s “backbone.” She reported a reduction of about $200,000 in insurance costs after changing deductible structures and continuing to pursue premium reductions.
For 2025 Kapatrik said priorities include continuing comprehensive legal services across departments, advising on changes in the law that affect the city, assisting with the comprehensive-plan implementation, enhancing risk-management work, streamlining internal processes and adding capacity for succession planning and training. She reiterated the office will supervise outside counsel on special projects and prosecutions as needed.
Council members asked about the hiring timeline and Kapatrik said she and directors are discussing the best use of the vacant position and preferred not to rush to hire without a revised plan.
