Council confronts $8,000 attorney bill, authorizes payment of top priority invoices

Councilors reviewed finance reports that showed unpaid bills and a growing attorney balance. The city recorder said arrears had forced last-month nonpayment of audit fees and electricity; she said, “we are so broke. We're on the verge of bankruptcy,” and described reworking the ledger to reconcile prior months.

One councilor moved that the council request a copy of the attorney invoice for roughly $8,000 so members could review charges. The motion to request the invoice was made after a councilor noted a charter debt limit ($5,000) and said she was concerned the attorney bill exceeded that amount. The councilor asked the recorder to provide a redacted invoice for review.

On a separate motion, the council agreed to pay top-priority bills now—electricity, the CPA/audit balance, and the pump service bill—while tabling full approval of the monthly finances and scheduling a workshop to help the recorder reorganize accounts and pursue potential franchise-fee revenues. A councilor said she will contact vendors (auditor and pump service) to request payment plans where possible.

Councilors noted potential new revenue streams (franchise fees, property sales) and encouraged residents with delinquent accounts to bring payments current; the recorder said she had sent eight letters that could yield approximately $2,000 if paid by the stated deadline.