Lake Forest council votes 6-1 to dissolve long‑standing legal committee after months of debate

Lake Forest — The City Council voted 6-1 on July 21 to approve an ordinance amending Lake Forest Code section 32.095 and dissolve the city’s volunteer legal committee. The council’s majority framed the change as an efficiency move that eliminates a redundant advisory body; opponents including current and former members of the legal committee and several residents urged the council to retain the committee for independent oversight and institutional knowledge. Mayor Tack said the proposal addresses “efficiency, obsolescence and role diffusion” and stressed that the change is not a reflection on committee volunteers. Alderman Rich Walther, after a months‑long review of committee records and interviews, recommended disbanding the committee while asking that council request annual legal and risk‑mitigation reports from staff and outside counsel to preserve oversight. Alderman Novak cast the lone vote against the ordinance and several council members spoke in favor of relying on existing processes and specialized outside counsel instead of maintaining the committee. During public comment, multiple residents and past officials urged the council to preserve the committee as a layer of independent review. Joy Gascott Mueller, who served as the committee chair, told the council the committee’s work ‘‘provides a system of checks and balances within the structure of city government’’ and said members never were consulted before the proposal first appeared on the April agenda. Former Mayor Mike Cromwell said the committee was created after a costly legal dispute and has helped reduce legal spending over time. The council debate also addressed where duties performed by the committee would land after dissolution. Supporters pointed to the finance committee, the city manager’s oversight role, the municipal legal firm that represents the city and the Illinois risk‑management pool as places that handle many legal matters now. Critics said ad hoc councils or greater reliance on outside counsel could reduce transparency and community input. The ordinance approving the amendment to section 32.095 passed on final reading after public comment. The vote recorded on the meeting transcript was: Alderman Notes, Aye; Alderman Powers, Aye; Alderman Lavert, Aye; Alderman Bosfeld, Aye; Alderman Weber, Aye; Alderman Walter, Aye; Alderman Novak, Nay. The outcome was recorded as approved. The council chair said the change will allow ad hoc committees or council review for specific legal issues when needed and asked staff and outside counsel to continue providing briefings to the council on major legal matters. Looking ahead, several council members and residents asked for explicit follow‑up: an annual report by the city attorney on ongoing litigation and an annual report by the city manager on risk‑mitigation actions and lessons learned from claims and settlements.