City of Marshfield Legal Fees Exceed Original Budgeted Amount

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City of Marshfield Common Council to Discuss Legal Fee Budget

MARSHFIELD, WI (OnFocus) – The City of Marshfield Common Council is scheduled to discuss a Budget Resolution Tuesday night that would help cover legal fees exceeding the original budgeted amount.

In a September 7 memo from Finance Director Ron Aumann, explained that legal expenses for the year to date through July 2021 have exceeded the budgeted amounts in 3 accounts and a budget resolution is being presented to amend the budget for the amount expected to be expended by the end of 2021.

“Finance reviewed the detailed invoices to identify the main drivers of the legal fees,” Aumann explained. “Smaller, routine issues are general not assigned a unique identifier, but broadly [defined as follows].”

1. General Fund – Council – Professional Services (Account #101-51110-06-52100), for Council requested hearings and removal of Mayor.

*Budgeted $0, YTD – July 2021 = $37,451.38, Increase to $40,000.

2. General Fund – City Attorney, – Professional Services (Account #101-51310-03-52100), for ongoing municipal court cases, calls/emails from Council members, support of other cases, and generally routine City business (review documents, agreements, statutes, provide counsel as requested).

*Budgeted $160,000.00, YTD – July 2021 = $169,960.94, Increase to $260,000.

3. General Fund–City Administrator–Legal Fees (Account #101-51412-05-52115), for issues related to former police chief, PFC, the 2021 portion of the $256,942.98 total legal fees incurred by the Police Union grievance (see 6/14/21 ruling), plus routine personnel matters.

*Budgeted $15,000, YTD – July 2021 = $86,166.87, Increase to $115,000. RECOMMENDATION Approval of Budget Resolution #06-2021.

In summary, as of July 2021, the City has spent $293,579.19 in legal fees, exceeding their budgeted amount (of $175,000) by $118,579.19.

The budget resolution request would raise the budget for legal fees for this year to $415,000 budgeted, meaning the City is then prepared to go over the initial budget by $240,000.

Watch the meeting live on Tuesday at 6:00pm via the City website.

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News Desk
Author: News Desk

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