Fulshear City Council Meeting 3/2/2016, HIGH LEGAL BILLS AGAIN

Interesting City Council tonight. Tajana Surlan Mesic attempted to introduce two months prior elections a topic that was not on the agenda and likely hold Mayor responsible for it: HIGH LEGAL BILLS for the City. What she forgot to mention is that Mesic herself was responsible for an additional $20K spent to delay Home Rule Charter, among other legal expenses, such as having problem with resident recording public meetings.

Her attorney fees analyses was sent to other council-members at last minute before the meeting so they did not have time to get familiar with her document.

What she forgot to mention was that the 6 months of legal work to create the proposed Home Rule Charter was at a cost of approximately $56K. The additional legal cost AFTER the Charter Commission’s work was done and after the Charter was finalized (December 16) was over $20K. WHO CREATED THE NEED FOR THESE ADDITIONAL CHARGES TO BE INCURRED when the independent law firm charges (just to review the Charter document itself per Mesic request and to provide a written opinion) was only $4K??? Mesic.

In order to understand the substance of those legal bills, to ascertain the reasons and to allow true transparency, the City and/or the specific City Council Members would l have to waive the attorney-client communications PRIVILEGE before the attorney is allowed the ability to FREELY DISCUSS the genesis, purpose, REASONS and basis for the legal cost, and to be in a position to explain those charges.

After attorney suggested to discuss the content of those bills in open forum, CRICKETS SINCE.

By waiving the privilege, the CITY ATTORNEY would also be PERMITTED TO EXPLAIN to the citizens us who actually was involved in creating the need for further legal work, particularly including the ENORMOUS amount of legal fees and costs incurred on the Home Rule Charter AFTER the Charter Commission actually finished their work on the Home Rule Charter process.

Sorry, I was late for the meeting, the beginning of the conversation is missing.