Legal costs for the city of Clinton in the first half of the current fiscal year are more than budgeted for the entire year. ‘Read more’ for the details-
Figures from the Clinton Finance Office show that in the period from July First thru December the city paid nearly 168-thousand dollars ($167,889.68) for various legal fees. The city budgeted 150-thousand for the current budget year in legal fees.
The city outsourced the work previously done an in-house attorney to the Lynch, Dallas Firm from Cedar Rapids. In the current fiscal year the firm has been paid nearly 88-thousand dollars ($87,608).The reports show other firms and attorneys have also been paid for services. Some of those include the Ahlers and Cooney Firm, the firm of Meardon, Suppel and Downer plus the firm of Frey Haufe, Current.
In the previous budget year the city legal fees of nearly 342-thousand dollars ($342,858). That total include an in-house attorney plus other outside firms such as collective bargaining and the E-M-S settlement dispute. The Lynch, Dallas firm was hired late in the 2014 budget year was paid about 31-thousand dollars in that fiscal year.
The city had budgeted 280-thousand dollars for legal services in the previous year, about 60-thousand dollars short of the total.
City Finance officials say there will have to be a budget amendment at some point for this fiscal year and the funds to cover the difference would likely come from the contingency fund.
