Tuesday, July 5, 2005 • City hires Lazard as part-time in-house attorney

After working for Susanville as attorney under contract for more than two decades, Kathleen Lazard is now an employee of the city.

A memorandum of understanding between the City Council and Lazard was up for renewal at the beginning of the 2005-2006 fiscal year that began Friday, July 1.

During the May 4 council meeting, the concept of a part-time in-house city attorney was introduced and discussed at some length. The council discussed the best way to fulfill the needs of the city at this time. It directed staff to bring back the in-house attorney idea as part of the budget.

According to City Administrator Luann Rainey, hiring Lazard as an employee seemed like the next logical step. She added city business has grown to the point where it would be helpful and productive for the city to have an attorney available in-house at city hall.

She was quick to point out the in-house job does not mean the city requires a full-time attorney.

“I really enjoy working for the city,” Lazard told the council before it unanimously approved hiring her as in-house attorney at the June 8 council meeting.

Since July 1, 1997, Lazard was providing 50 hours of service per month by agreement. As of July 2002 she was earning $100 an hour. As a comparison, other local attorney rates appear to be around $180-$200 per hour.

Lazard will receive $110 an hour and increase her hours to 60 hours per month. Rainey said the 60 hours per month more accurately reflects the amount of time Lazard devotes to city business.

Similar to the agreement the city has with its engineer, Lazard will work from city hall and receive a salary as an employee, with the requirement she work no more than 19 hours per week.

She will receive four weeks of vacation per year — four weeks at 19 hours per week. Continuing education, conferences or seminars will be included as part of her hourly services.

The city will pay for conference registration and travel expenses as it currently does. The city will provide an office, office supplies and subscription to an online legal research database, the cost of which is offset by a reduction of other legal resource subscriptions, said Rainey.

Lazard will provide her own computer and printer in the beginning. There will be no extra billing for routine litigation; however, major litigation requiring more than 19 hours per week may require associate counsel.

The city will not pay retirement benefits but if she chooses, Lazard can apply for health benefits at her own expense.

The proposed salary for Lazard would be $72,000 per year plus contributions to FICA, etc. This provides a total of 912 hours per year, for an average of 76 hours per month with no additional cost for litigation as long as that work is accomplished within the 19 hours per week maximum.

The total impact on the FY 2005-2006 budget is $81,468 of salary and tax contributions. The increase is about $22,768 to the overall budget. However, Rainey was quick to point out the increase would be much more if the city had to take out a request for proposal.