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Solicitor’s office: reduced outside‑counsel budget, paralegal vacancy and outside labor counsel used for public‑safety bargaining
Summary
City Solicitor Beth Olmickson told the committee the law office handles a broad portfolio and that outside litigation and counsel lines were reduced. Assistant city attorneys said the office has taken a greater role in bargaining while continuing to use a specialized outside labor attorney for police and fire negotiations.
Solicitor Beth Olmickson summarized the law department’s FY26 proposal and addressed questions about staffing and the use of outside counsel.
Olmickson said the office’s FY26 budget contains only a few lines but covers “all the legal affairs of the city” including contract review, land and district court appearances, collective bargaining and housing code enforcement. She said the outside‑counsel and litigation lines were reduced because the office settled many contracts this year and anticipates lower outside counsel expense, but cautioned that litigation is unpredictable.
On bargaining, Assistant or Deputy Solicitor Sterling Dole (identified in the transcript as Mr. Dole) explained the office handles non‑public‑safety bargaining internally while retaining specialized outside counsel for public‑safety units. He said the city uses a municipal‑labor specialist — identified in the meeting as attorney Michael MacCarroll — for police and fire negotiations and any arbitration or Department of Labor Relations processes because public‑safety contracts are more complex, contain multiple pay and benefit permutations, and carry higher long‑term financial impact. Dole said he works closely with outside counsel and attends bargaining sessions alongside the specialist.
Councilors asked about an open paralegal line after a recent departure. Olmickson said the office plans to fill the paralegal position and expects it to remain within the current line item and budget range; she said other staff and internal reassignment are covering administrative work in the short term.
Discussion points vs. decisions
Discussion only: scope of the law department’s responsibilities, the rationale for outside counsel in public‑safety bargaining, and short‑term coverage of the paralegal duties.
Direction/assignment: the solicitor’s office will post and recruit to refill the paralegal position.
Formal action: the mayor’s forthcoming personnel letter to appoint the solicitor’s department head was noted in the packet (administration action; no council vote recorded in this transcript).
Ending
Olmickson and Dole said the office will manage within the FY26 allocation and that any significant litigation or bargaining developments would be brought to the council.
