Tonight, when the City Council meets, they’ll be talking attorney expenses, but it won’t have much to do with the Ellis matter. Nope, this will cost far more.
Also, the Peace Resolution makes its third appearance on the Council’s agenda tonight. The current language addresses the conflict between Israel and Hamas, and local Islamophobia and antisemitism.
First, Ballonning Legal Expenses: As the City awaits its first legal bills on the Ellis matter, which now involves three law firms – they have a whole other and probably larger legal cost to consider. City staff is recommending a new law firm serve as City Attorney, given the current firm’s principals are retiring. And the change is looking spendy.
“The budget impact is unknown. However, it is anticipated the cost for City Attorney services will increase significantly over current costs,” said City Manager Mark Shepard in a memo to the council. According to Shepard, the ballooning cost is anticipated because the new firm will be charging hourly, while the retiring firm has been charging a retainer.
He goes on to say, “As such, the City anticipates altering our business practices in order to manage the impact to the City budget.”
Beyond the payment scheme, the new firm, Beery, Elsner & Hammond, LLP, is in Portland. While the current firm, Brewer & Coulombe, PC, is in Corvallis – which, as you’ll see, also plays somewhat into the new costs.
Here’s the new fee schedule: City Attorney, Partners, and Of Counsel $285.00 hourly, Senior Associates $275.00 hourly, Associates $265.00 hourly, Paralegals $175.00 hourly, Legal Assistants $150.00 hourly. The City Attorney also attends City Council meetings that will be billed at the hourly rate, along with travel to those meetings, also billed at the hourly rate.
There were three other firms that submitted bids, one from Corvallis, one from Albany, and another from Portland.
If Council approves, which seems likely, the Mayor would be empowered to sign the new contact with Beery, Elsner & Hammond, LLP. The current City Attorney has always been responsive to interview requests from The Advocate, and we’ll keep you posted about the new firm.
Peace Resolution: On Jan. 2, Councilor Charlyn Ellis introduced a Resolution in Support of Peace – which then saw a minor amendment passed unanimously by the City Council. At the time, Councilor Gabe Shepherd sought an amendment to add language calling for a humanitarian ceasefire – a viewpoint that is controversial within the Jewish community – and his amendment failed.
At the time, a number of City Councilors expressed concern that the public hadn’t yet seen any version of the proposed resolution, let alone the amended version. So, in an effort to allow the public time to see the language, a final vote on the resolution was tabled until the Council’s Feb. 5 meeting, at which time the Council again tabled the matter.
For tonight’s Council meeting, the resolution is back on the agenda as unfinished business. Councilors could further amend the resolution, and then approve or reject it, or they could postpone consideration again.
Here’s the Resolution’s Current Language…
WHEREAS, the Corvallis 2040 Vision statement affirms that Corvallis supports and engages a changing population in a welcoming community that accommodates all income and cultural groups, and advances the well-being of all its residents; and
WHEREAS, our Jewish and Muslim friends and neighbors, both Israeli and Palestinian, have experienced an increase in anti-Semitic, anti-Israel, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim hate speech and crimes. True peace starts with us, not through accusations or minimizing the suffering on either side, but as a community that empathizes with their grief and offers our hands and hearts in compassion; and
WHEREAS, while we mourn the lives lost to escalating violence in all corners of the world, we recognize the human tragedies of this war that have profoundly and personally affected our friends and neighbors in our own community; and
WHEREAS, leaders from Oregon State University, Beit Am Jewish Community, and Salman Alfarisi Islamic Center stress the importance of listening, engaging, and reaching out to one another within our community. They acknowledge that the events in the land of Israel and Palestine, sacred to many, are not what any of us desire. And there is a collective hope for a future world free from war, where bridges to lasting peace and stability can be built.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CORVALLIS RESOLVES that we support ongoing efforts to engage in meaningful talks for a lasting peace. Additionally, we urge Corvallis residents to enhance their understanding of these complex issues through discussion and education. Issuing this resolution is not a substitute for the hard work we must do locally to promote peace and understanding.
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