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Pasco council approves budget to add three in‑house city attorney positions after contentious debate
Summary
The Pasco City Council adopted Ordinance No. 4761 on Feb. 18, 2025, amending the 2025–26 budget to fund three full‑time positions in an in‑house city attorney office. The 4–3 vote followed weeks of planning and a contested transition from long‑time contract counsel Kerr Ferguson Law.
PASCO, Wash. — The Pasco City Council voted 4–3 on Feb. 18 to amend the 2025–26 budget and allocate funding to create three full‑time positions in a new in‑house city attorney’s office.
Deputy City Manager (name on file with city), speaking for staff, told the council the change would cost about $800,000 per year and include transition expenses for recruitment, furniture and overlapping contract costs during handover. "The money is eye‑popping," the deputy city manager said, "however, as you all know, attorneys are expensive."
The ordinance implements the first formal step in a move away from long‑term retained contract counsel. Kerr Ferguson Law — which gave written notice in November 2024 that it…
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