Price City councilors press for clearer terms on proposed $160 hourly rate and COLA language

Price City Councilors spent most of the meeting debating a proposed change to their attorney engagement after a firm letter requested a $160 hourly rate beginning July 1, 2026, and suggested implementing an annual cost‑of‑living adjustment each July 1.

The council’s Chair opened the session by saying the meeting’s only agenda item was the contract with Eric, then turned discussion to Richard, who reported contacting neighboring jurisdictions and lawyers about market rates. "Their basic rate is 220 an hour," Richard said, summarizing a Salt Lake‑area example; he also reported that one jurisdiction described a bill close to "$160,000–$175,000." The letter under review, read into the record by a council member, states the firm “propose[s] to increase them to a 160 per hour beginning 07/01/2026” and asks to "implement an annual cost of living for future years, each to take place on July 1." (The letter also said bond‑counsel and specialty rates would rise but did not specify amounts.)

Why it matters: councilors said the proposed increase affects the municipal budget and could create perceived inequities with full‑time employee raises if the contractor receives larger annual adjustments. One councilor warned the change was being pushed through on a consent agenda and called a $30 hourly jump "a step to people" that requires clearer explanation of whether increases are one‑time, incremental or annual.

Councilors split on how to proceed. Several members said the incumbent’s responsiveness and face‑to‑face availability were valuable; others said inserting a recurring COLA into a multi‑year extension would reintroduce a moving target and argued the city should either negotiate fixed escalation terms or go to an RFP. "It doesn't make sense to raise that fee for two months," one member said, noting budget timing. Another suggested building a defined escalation schedule into a new contract rather than leaving the language open.

The meeting included concrete usage figures cited by councilors for context: the attorney’s billable totals were given as about $44,000 in his first year, $38,000 the next year, $17,000 in 2023, and $21,000 last year — demonstrating variability tied to how much the city uses outside counsel.

What councilors asked staff to do: members asked the mayor and staff to meet with the attorney to clarify (1) whether the $160 hourly rate applies for the entire three‑year extension or is only the first year, (2) how any annual COLA would be calculated and when it would start, and (3) what increases, if any, would apply to bond‑counsel and specialty services. That direction was taken in lieu of an immediate vote; the council agreed to return the item with clarified contract language at a subsequent meeting.

Quotes: Richard said his outreach found other rates and practices, noting, "they won't give me a cost on that" when jurisdictions declined to disclose details. A council member said, "I do think $30 an hour increase is like a step to people," and another cautioned that the COLA wording "needs to be addressed before we can make a decision."

Next steps: staff/the mayor will negotiate clarifying language with the firm and report back at the next council meeting. No formal vote or contract adoption was recorded at this session.