Minutes - Council Work Session - 08/23/2021 - Special

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City Administrator Ulrich stated Mr. Langel has been very solid for the City for 8 years. He added he can see that it is not a good fit for the City Council right now, and trust and confidence are vital. He noted there will be a transition cost to the City, but he sees opportunities to improve service, such as having the City Attorney at City Council meetings, which will greatly help to build trust and understanding. He noted Hoff Barry came out strong at the end. Administrative Services Director Lasher stated she would work with any of them, but the two she would take off the list would be Mr. Knaak because the firm is too small, and Kennedy Graven, which is too big, and he was concerned about money up front. Administrative Services Director Lasher stated she has a great working relationship with Mr. Langel for general City issues and Mr. Schafer for employment law, as well as Nathan for elections. She added she concurs with City Administrator Ulrich that from a City Council perspective maybe it is time for a change. She noted Ms. Whitmore has experience with the league, but she was not concrete, but Ms. Schwarzhoff by comparison was quite to the point. She expressed support for either Ms. Schwarzhoff or Ms. Whitmore in a tie, and Mr. Langel in third. Interim Community Development Director Westby stated he agrees with the comments of his colleagues, that Kennedy Graven would be at the bottom of the list due to its size and the attorneys’ lack of experience. He added Mr. Knaak has a lot of experience, but he does not know who his backup would be. He noted Ms. Schwarzhoff really impressed him with her general knowledge. He expressed support for Hoff Barry, then Eckberg Lammers or Mr. Knaak, and Kennedy Graven at the bottom. Councilmember Woestehoff stated it felt like 20 hours per month seemed fairly average, with an uptick for the first few months to get to know a new lawyer. He added one issue that muddies the water is that there is not a consistent parameter in terms of hours vs. retainer, and it is difficult to determine costs. He noted Hoff Barry would be slightly cheaper than Mr. Knaak but more than Eckberg Lammers, but not everything is included in the retainer for Eckberg Lammers. Councilmember Riley stated he would support 20 hours. Councilmember Woestehoff agreed, adding a few extra hours a month could be added until the new City attorney is up to speed, and then drop it down to 20 hours or below. Councilmember Heineman stated the flat rate would be more economical if the City Attorney will be required to be present at City Council meetings. Councilmember Howell stated she really liked Ms. Schwarzhoff, but Mr. Knaak has a wealth of experience, and there is a lot of value in that. She added he will be very neutral. She noted she likes the flat rate. Councilmember Musgrove stated there is a consensus not to go with Kennedy Graven. She asked what the process would be for getting a comparison with regard to proposals that do not have a retainer. City Council Special Work Session / August 23, 2021 Page 19 of 22