Pickerington council puts off picking legal counsel again
Absences at meeting mean city?’s bills from interim law firm will continue to rise
By Kirk D . Richards THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The long search for a law firm to represent Pickerington was to be discussed by the City Council last night, but two council members, Doug Parker and Brian Wisniewski, weren?’t there.
Council president Heidi Riggs said the decision is too important for every member not to be present, so it was delayed again.
Riggs said various absences, vacations and difficulties in scheduling law firms for followup interviews have caused the many postponements on the vote.
Meanwhile, legal costs continue to skyrocket.
Councilman Michael Sabatino blamed the lack of a contract for the rising bills.
''We?’re paying for everything a la carte,?’?’ Sabatino said.
The council majority and the administration decided last year to let go longtime Law Director Bob Mapes in an effort to save money.
Officials reasoned that an entire firm could handle more issues than an individual, making it less likely that the city would have to pay extra to outside lawyers.
But with no full-time law firm hired, Pickerington is on pace to pay $551,175 this year to Schottenstein, Zox & Dunn, which is serving the city as an interim law firm.
Under Mapes, legal fees were $367,088 in 2003 and $332,245 in 2004.
Of the $367,088 spent in 2003, $189,000 of that was for outside counsel hired to handle legal issues that fell outside of Mapes?’ areas of expertise.
The search for a law director was expected to take 11 weeks.
''That was in January,?’?’ Sabatino said. ''There?’s no sense of urgency. It?’s been stretched out so far.?’?’
Riggs said the increasing costs this year were inevitable because of annexation disputes and a lawsuit the city settled with developers who contended that a moratorium on building permits harmed their contracts.
Riggs said the council is considering a contract that would charge the city about $20,000 a month, or $240,000 a year.
The final four candidates for the contract are Bricker & Eckler; Rich, Crites & Dittmer; Downes, Hurst & Fischel; and Schottenstein, Zox & Dunn.
The cost of legal services can vary based on the needs and structure of a community.
Dublin, for example, uses Schottenstein, Zox & Dunn and is budgeted to pay the firm $1.4 million this year, city spokesman David Ball said.
Ball said the city handles $100 million in capital improvements a year. The suburb also has more than 34,000 residents; Pickerington has 13,000.
In Worthington, the city expects to pay $409,000 in legal services this year to Baker & Hostetler.
Westerville is on pace to pay Metz & Bailey $388,323.
Sabatino said he liked having a law director in Pickerington.
''I felt no reason to get rid of Bob,?’?’ Sabatino said.
krichards@dispatch.com
Absences at meeting mean city?’s bills from interim law firm will continue to rise
By Kirk D . Richards THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The long search for a law firm to represent Pickerington was to be discussed by the City Council last night, but two council members, Doug Parker and Brian Wisniewski, weren?’t there.
Council president Heidi Riggs said the decision is too important for every member not to be present, so it was delayed again.
Riggs said various absences, vacations and difficulties in scheduling law firms for followup interviews have caused the many postponements on the vote.
Meanwhile, legal costs continue to skyrocket.
Councilman Michael Sabatino blamed the lack of a contract for the rising bills.
''We?’re paying for everything a la carte,?’?’ Sabatino said.
The council majority and the administration decided last year to let go longtime Law Director Bob Mapes in an effort to save money.
Officials reasoned that an entire firm could handle more issues than an individual, making it less likely that the city would have to pay extra to outside lawyers.
But with no full-time law firm hired, Pickerington is on pace to pay $551,175 this year to Schottenstein, Zox & Dunn, which is serving the city as an interim law firm.
Under Mapes, legal fees were $367,088 in 2003 and $332,245 in 2004.
Of the $367,088 spent in 2003, $189,000 of that was for outside counsel hired to handle legal issues that fell outside of Mapes?’ areas of expertise.
The search for a law director was expected to take 11 weeks.
''That was in January,?’?’ Sabatino said. ''There?’s no sense of urgency. It?’s been stretched out so far.?’?’
Riggs said the increasing costs this year were inevitable because of annexation disputes and a lawsuit the city settled with developers who contended that a moratorium on building permits harmed their contracts.
Riggs said the council is considering a contract that would charge the city about $20,000 a month, or $240,000 a year.
The final four candidates for the contract are Bricker & Eckler; Rich, Crites & Dittmer; Downes, Hurst & Fischel; and Schottenstein, Zox & Dunn.
The cost of legal services can vary based on the needs and structure of a community.
Dublin, for example, uses Schottenstein, Zox & Dunn and is budgeted to pay the firm $1.4 million this year, city spokesman David Ball said.
Ball said the city handles $100 million in capital improvements a year. The suburb also has more than 34,000 residents; Pickerington has 13,000.
In Worthington, the city expects to pay $409,000 in legal services this year to Baker & Hostetler.
Westerville is on pace to pay Metz & Bailey $388,323.
Sabatino said he liked having a law director in Pickerington.
''I felt no reason to get rid of Bob,?’?’ Sabatino said.
krichards@dispatch.com
