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County attorney says charter already allows special counsel; cites $5,000 ballot cost
Summary
County Attorney Marlon E. Iverson told commissioners the charter already includes special-counsel provisions and said Linda Phillips quoted $5,000 to place a referendum on the ballot, a figure he relayed during debate over the counsel-appointment ordinance.
During debate on the charter amendment to authorize the commission to appoint counsel, County Attorney Marlon E. Iverson told the board he had spoken with Linda Phillips and that she quoted $5,000 as the cost to place the matter on the ballot. Iverson framed the ordinance in the context of existing charter language, noting that sections 2.01 and 2.02 already provide for special counsel and describing how the current process functions.
Iverson said the proposed amendment would largely mirror the existing ordinance governing special counsel but would remove the word "special" so counsel could be appointed solely by the Board of Commissioners. He urged commissioners to consider whether the ordinance's mechanics simply restated existing authority or would effect a meaningful change in appointment powers.
Iverson's comments were offered during the ordinance debate and serve as a legal-process clarification; the meeting record does not contain a separate staff memo or cost breakdown beyond the $5,000 ballot figure he relayed. Commissioners asked follow-up questions about representation in litigation and the practical consequences if the board were sued and whether the county attorney would continue to represent the commission in general litigation.
