Benton City Council Special Called Meeting Minutes for June

Special Called Meeting Benton City Council June 13, 2016

A special called meeting of the Benton City Council was held on Monday, June 13, 2016 at 9:30 A.M.

Mayor Dotson called the meeting to order with Pledge of Allegiance and opening prayer by Charles Edmonds.

Council Members Present: Rita Murray Butch Holland Sherra Riley Charles Edmonds Chris Freeland Tim King

Other Staff Present: Marty Johnson, City Attorney Michele Edwards, City Clerk Bethany Cooper, City Treasurer

Mayor Dotson presented the following City Attorney bids:

Don Thomas – $200 per hour and medical insurance.

Long & Long Attorneys – Eric Long at $200 per hour, Jacob Ford at $175 per hour and staff at $80 per hour

Kip Mathis – $2000 per month with medical insurance and retirement for basic legal services and $175 per hour for extraordinary services.

Michael Ward – $1000 per month for all Council meetings, answering calls and emails and $140 per hour for work involving time over one half hour.

Jason Darnall – Option 1 was $1500 per month for regularly scheduled meetings, calls lasting less than 15 minutes, routine emails or texts, routine letters and research taking less than 15 minutes. Hourly rate of $175 for drafting ordinances, special called meetings, litigation, other tasks lasting longer than 15 minutes. Option 2 is a flat $175 per hour rate for everything.

Bob Prince – $24,000 per year with benefits for meetings and routine questions that do not require research or investigation. Additional services are $210 per hour.

Zach Brien – Option 1 is $18,000 per year with benefits for attending meetings and routine questions that do not require research or investigation. Additional services are $160 per hour. Option 2 is $42,000 per year with benefits to include everything except litigation, oral arguments in Court and the like and these would be $200 per hour.

Mayor Dotson mentioned that the majority of the Council recommended Zach Brien.

A motion was made by Murray, seconded by Holland to appoint Zach Brien to a one year term as City Attorney with no benefits.

All present agree. Motion carried.

City Attorney Johnson will draw up a resolution for the Mayor to sign.

There being no further business to come before the Council, meeting adjourned at 9:45 A.M.