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Pelican Rapids to hire Kennedy & Graven as city legal firm; separate prosecuting‑attorney appointment approved
Summary
Council voted to start legal services with Kennedy & Graven on Jan. 1, citing the firm's municipal experience despite a higher hourly rate; a separate motion to appoint a prosecuting attorney also passed.
The Pelican Rapids City Council approved a committee recommendation on Nov. 25 to retain Kennedy & Graven as the city's legal services firm effective Jan. 1.
Lance described the selection process and told the council that Kennedy & Graven’s primary strength is a deep municipal practice, representing roughly 70 cities, which the evaluation committee felt would provide experienced municipal advice and reduce conflicts of interest that sometimes arise with smaller local firms. The firm’s base hourly rate discussed in the packet was around $205 per hour.
Council members discussed the tradeoffs between local availability and the municipal depth Kennedy & Graven offers. After discussion the council moved and approved the committee’s recommendation; a separate motion to designate a prosecuting attorney also passed.
The council directed staff to finalize any contract terms; no contract text was recorded at the meeting. The hire takes effect at the turn of the year and staff will return with contract details as needed.
