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Campton Hills trustees debate retaining independent legislative counsel, worry over cost and selection
Summary
Trustees discussed allowing trustees to retain independent legislative counsel for legislative duties, proposed requiring two trustees to request counsel to control costs, and debated using a different firm for second opinions; trustees asked staff to research costs and selection options before next meeting.
Trustees in Campton Hills discussed a proposal to allow trustees to retain independent legislative counsel to advise them on legislative duties, reviving a practice that a speaker said had been costly at the outset but less so over time.
Trustee Mike, who introduced the item, said the village previously budgeted about $7,000 per month for a retained legislative council but believed the village would not need that level now. He told trustees that a prior arrangement lacked a clear mechanism for the village president to access legislative counsel and proposed that two trustees could agree to request an opinion from legislative counsel.
"For the most part, they'll say four," Mike said, summarizing past counsel's response to straightforward questions and stressing the need for trustees to have reliable information when they make decisions.
Trustees debated guardrails to limit costs. One trustee recommended requiring written questions to keep inquiries narrowly focused and prevent open-ended work that could generate unexpected charges. Several trustees said a true second opinion should come from a different firm rather than the village's current counsel, and speakers offered names of potential municipal-law firms to consider.
Attorney Forte explained the statutory structure for legislative council and suggested treating the president as part of the corporate authorities for practical purposes if the board so decides. Trustees discussed whether the president could be one of the seven corporate-authority members able to request advice.
No formal action to retain a firm was taken; trustees agreed to research options, including possible retainer structures and engagement agreements, and to return with cost estimates and a potential selection process at a future meeting.
Trustees also emphasized the need for clear engagement agreements that set rates and access rules. One trustee argued the second-opinion counsel should be limited to legislative issues (not staff matters) to control scope and expense.
The conversation closed with a request that staff prepare comparative costs and options for review at or before the next meeting.
