Wednesday, August 15, 2001
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Wednesday, August 15, 2001 |
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Report: PTC doesn't need in-house attorney By JOHN
MUNFORD
A report analyzing Peachtree City's legal needs and the costs for legal services recommends now is not the time to hire an in-house city attorney. The report, compiled by local attorney Murray Weed at no cost to the city, will be presented to the City Council at its meeting Thursday night. In the report, Weed indicates hiring an in-house attorney would not save costs in the short term compared to the city's current arrangement with the law firm of Webb, Lindsey, Collins, Jones and Wade serving as the appointed city attorney. Although an in-house attorney could be available more quickly than an appointed attorney, that must be weighed against the experience of the 10 attorneys the city can use through its current arrangement with Webb, Lindsey, Collins, Jones and Wade, Weed indicated. Weed, a Peachtree City resident, recently announced his candidacy for a seat on the City Council. He volunteered to provide the information to council, after Councilman Dan Tennant inquired whether it would be more cost efficient to hire an in-house city attorney given the city's rising legal bills. Rough estimates indicate the city's fees for legal services and solicitor services will reach $322,250 this year; an estimated cost for the first year operating with an in-house attorney would be $381,950, the report indicates. The in-house costs include a paraprofessional to assist the attorney as needed; also factored in is the workload the attorney will have to hire out due to a conflict of interest and $75,000 to establish a law library. In the report, Weed said if Peachtree City's population rises to 50,000 or the legal workload and hourly rate continues to increase, hiring in-house counsel should be reconsidered. Weed also proposed a third option: hiring a staff attorney who could serve in a scaled-back role while the city still appoints a city attorney. That attorney could support the prosecutor functions needed by the city and provide daily consultations with department heads and the city manager without an hourly rate charge, the report stated. The report listed cities in Georgia which use their own in-house attorneys. The only city close to Peachtree City's size which does so is Warner Robins, which has almost 50,000 residents.
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