LANGLEY: Mayor’s effort to control council legal fees hits snarl (SWR)

Luisa Loi reports for the South Whidbey Record from the Langley City Council meeting of Mon., Sep. 18, 2023.

A Langley council meeting this week left attendees confused after the mayor vetoed a vote to table his cost-saving proposal to regulate council members’ access to the city attorney.

The following day, however, Mayor Scott Chaplin admitted that he didn’t have the authority to veto the action.

They Said It

Each year, the council is allocated $15,000 to spend on legal services, with no restrictions. The mayor explained that the council was over budget by $1,095 as of September.

The announcement particularly shocked Councilmember Rhonda Salerno, who couldn’t fathom how that could happen and demanded to see the individual charges, something which Chaplin said he had been working on.

In an interview afterward, Chaplin explained the policy as “a guidepost” to make council members aware of how much they’re spending.

“Fifteen thousand dollars does not go very far,” he said.

According to Chaplin, talking with the attorney can cost $305 per hour or more, depending on the topic…. Chaplin said it’s unusual for the council to go over budget, but it makes sense since it’s been an extraordinarily litigious year for the city.

Councilmember Harolynne Bobis said she was in favor of the proposal because it would foster transparency among the council.

Councilmember Thomas Gill said he wasn’t aware he could just contact the attorney without talking with the mayor or the administrator first. He said he believes the policy would solidify what current and future members can do. Councilmember Gail Fleming said she had no objections to limiting attorney time to two hours but wondered if it needs further research.

On the Ballot in November 2023