Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Government Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board members raise questions about rising legal fees, seek clearer billing breakdowns
Summary
Board members questioned legal spending tied to the 'Elvis Gray' matter and collective bargaining, citing invoices that appear higher year-over-year; the board attorney said he typically communicates with the superintendent and offered to follow up on billing details.
Several members of the Hardee County School Board pressed for clearer information about legal fees during the Feb. 26 meeting, saying invoices related to the "Elvis Gray" matter and to collective bargaining had increased and that the board had received limited updates on outcomes.
A board member said the district had spent more than $13,000 with the board attorney, Mr. McKinley, on the Elvis Gray matter and raised questions about additional billing for collective bargaining work. The member asked for a clearer breakdown and suggested staff look for ways to manage legal costs.
Mr. McKinley, identified in the meeting as the board attorney, responded that he typically communicates with the superintendent, Dr. Albritten, and sometimes with a staff member named Todd. "No, the only people that I talk to are the superintendent, Dr. Albritten, and from time to time Todd," he said, and he offered to review and clarify billing categories for the board.
Mrs. Bennett, a district official who provided administrative updates earlier in the meeting, said she had begun gathering comparisons with peer districts and expected to present a chart showing where Hardee County’s legal spending stands in relation to similar jurisdictions.
The board did not take action at the meeting but directed staff to provide additional detail on legal expenditures and to share comparative data in a future update.
