Council authorizes city attorney to initiate and join litigation in two matters

During the meeting’s closed-session follow-up, the Surprise City Council unanimously authorized the city attorney or his designee to initiate litigation against Lee Garcia and AALL Insurance and separately authorized filing a third-party complaint in Williams v. City of Surprise, a case pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. A motion to authorize each action was moved and seconded and passed by unanimous vote; the clerk recorded the votes. The council took these votes after adjournment to executive session and reconvened to make the public motions and record the actions in open session. Why it matters: These votes give the city attorney authority to commence or expand litigation on behalf of the city; the matters were discussed in executive session and the public record reflects the council’s authorization to proceed. What happens next: The city attorney’s office will file the authorized complaints and will prosecute or defend as appropriate; additional public updates will occur as litigation proceeds and as allowed by confidentiality rules.