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Rowlett council affirms city attorney after closed session, declines in‑house model for now
Summary
After an executive session the Rowlett City Council announced it will continue its working relationship with the city attorney, citing an estimated $1,000,000 annual cost for an in‑house model versus roughly $300,000 in current legal spending; both executive session items concluded with no action taken.
After a closed executive session on June 2, the Rowlett City Council returned to open session and announced no action on two items: real property deliberations and personnel matters relating to the city attorney.
The mayor said the council had discussed concerns raised about past decisions and communications and that the review ‘‘helped to clarify a number of concerns.’’ After the discussion, the council said it is determined to continue its working relationship with Victoria as city attorney and expects ‘‘honest and thorough opinions’’ to support responsible decision making.
Council also explored the option of hiring a dedicated in‑house city attorney. Staff reported the estimated cost of moving to an in‑house model would be approximately $1,000,000 annually — a figure that would include salary, additional staff, software, office space and other operational costs — compared with an estimated $300,000 the city is on track to spend this year in legal expenses under the current model. Based on that comparison, council said the expense does not appear justified at this time and reaffirmed its commitment to stability, accountability and transparency.
The mayor emphasized that rebuilding public trust and improving communication are ongoing priorities and that short-term steps and clear expectations are needed; no personnel action was recorded in open session.
What happens next: Council will continue its relationship with the current city attorney and staff will provide additional information if council requests further review of legal-service models.
