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travel time and if approved he would attend weekly or semi - weekly staff meetings and Council <br />meetings. He stated they are used to traveling so that will not be an issue or problem. <br />Do you bill hourly for civil work or are you o • en to retainer to assure sta in. within buds et? <br />Mr. Couri stated they are willing to consider a retainer once they know the scope of work <br />involved. He stated he would be happy to meet with staff to determine the number of hours and <br />types of work. Mr. Couri stated he is interested in a long -term relationship and will do what they <br />need to assure that occurs. He stated it either works for them or it does not and it has to be <br />mutual. <br />Do you feel it is appropriate for City staff to draft legal documents such as ordinances, purchase <br />agreements, development agreements? If not, why? If so, what is your role to ensure the City's <br />interests are protected? <br />Mr. Couri stated they represent a number of cities and townships and encourage staff to draft the <br />document as part of the educational process and he then reviews the document. He noted the <br />documents are relatively standard with the basics and some embellishments. Mr. Couri stated it <br />is cheaper for the City and their view is how to keep the relationship beneficial to both long term. <br />Describe the most challenging municipal issues you have faced during your legal career? What <br />were the circumstances and what was the outcome? <br />Mr. Couri stated they had a situation where a Councilmember and former Councilmember were <br />running against each other and finished one vote apart. It went before the City Council and <br />while he wrote a memorandum, he did not tell the Council how to interpret the ballot but told <br />them what the law was. The Council deadlocked two -two with the sitting Councilmember <br />abstaining. The Council did not accept the ballot, as he thought it should have been. It went to a <br />coin flip and the sitting councilmember won. Mr. Couri noted in those discussions, he had to tell <br />the sitting Council that if they deadlocked two -two, he would have to, on his own initiative <br />without direction from the Council, take them into court and ask the judge to make the decision. <br />He stated he thinks the court would have ruled in favor of the sitting Council member. <br />Please describeyour philosophy with serving as the City Attorney. <br />Mr. Couri stated over time, it is about public service. It is a job he likes and the best of both <br />worlds to be in private practice yet serving the public. He stated he understands his job is to <br />represent the Council in front of their constituents, which reflects on the City. Mr. Couri stated it <br />is crucial that the public have good faith in what the Council is doing and how he advises the <br />Council. He stated he does not set policy and the Council knows what is best for its community. <br />His job is to advise the Council while it is forming policy. <br />Any other questions and/or concerns? <br />Mr. Couri stated he has reviewed past Council minutes and worked with the Fire Chief Kapler so <br />he knows a fair amount about Ramsey, appreciates the City's undertaking with The COR, and <br />City Council Work Session / May 7, 2013 <br />Page 12 of 23 <br />