Select Board approves flat-fee town-counsel contract: $13,000 monthly starting July 1

The Mansfield Select Board voted Wednesday to authorize a flat monthly fee of $13,000 with Harrington & Heap LLP for town-counsel legal services, effective July 1, 2025 (fiscal year 2026). The measure replaces the current hourly arrangement.

A Harrington & Heap representative told the board the firm developed the flat-fee proposal after reviewing past invoices and average annual legal hours. Town finance staff said historical payments to town counsel averaged roughly $200,000 per year, and the proposed flat fee — $13,000 per month, or about $156,000 per year — aligns with those figures while giving the town budget predictability. The proposal excludes extraordinary matters such as special litigation, arbitration or mediation, which would be billed separately and identified in the agreement.

Finance director Matt Violette reviewed recent legal spend and confirmed the firm’s analysis of prior payments. Board members asked whether the flat fee should start at the beginning of the next fiscal year; the firm and staff recommended July 1, 2025 as the effective date, and the board amended the motion to make it effective at the start of fiscal 2026.

The board approved the amended motion by voice vote. The amended agreement will be a public document and will be presented to the town for the standard contracting process.