Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Government And Politics topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mesquite council overturns veto, moves to revisit litigation settlement limits
Summary
Council voted Feb. 11 to overturn a prior mayoral veto of a resolution delegating settlement authority to the city attorney; council members said they will revisit and propose dollar caps and reporting requirements after debate and public comment.
The Mesquite City Council voted Feb. 11 to overturn a November mayoral veto and restore a resolution that delegates settlement authority in litigation to the city attorney. The original resolution (R24-054) had authorized the city attorney to negotiate and settle certain judicial or administrative proceedings; former Mayor Al Littman had notified the council of a veto earlier in the meeting.
Councilman Wes Parrish moved to overturn the veto; Councilman Jesse Boger seconded the motion, which carried. The precise roll-call tally was not recorded in the meeting transcript. Councilmembers described their action as temporary: several said they want the council to revisit the delegation and adopt explicit dollar thresholds and reporting requirements.
The item prompted extended debate over checks and balances. Councilman Paul Wanless said the council should retain oversight above set monetary thresholds, arguing that a city-manager form of government requires limits. Several public commenters urged strict limits or urged replacement of officials believed to be giving poor legal advice. One resident suggested limits as low as $25,000 from the city general fund and $50,000 for insurer-covered settlements.
City Attorney Mike Branham told the council he would not exercise settlement authority without notifying council but cautioned that repealing the resolution immediately would leave the city unable to respond quickly in active litigation. He said repealing the resolution without an alternative in place could have "potentially disastrous consequences" for the city's ability to respond to lawsuits and meet legal deadlines.
Before the overturn vote, the council also accepted a public notice that former Mayor Al Littman had exercised veto power over a motion to rescind the delegation; that acceptance was passed by motion earlier in the meeting. After the Feb. 11 vote to overturn the veto, council members directed staff and legal counsel to return with proposed amendment language to set explicit thresholds and notification processes for settlement decisions. No revised thresholds or formal amendment were adopted at the Feb. 11 meeting.
