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THOMAS M. SWEENEY <br />JAMES J. O'CONNOR <br />JOHN H. LeMAY <br />GEORGE F. BORER <br />SWEENEY, O'CONNOR & LeMAY <br />PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION <br />ATTORNEYS AT LAW <br />(612) 2222541 <br />Mr. Joseph G. Chlebeck <br />City Clerk <br />515 Little Canada Road <br />Little Canada, Minnesota 55117 <br />Re: Proposed 1984 Legal Budget <br />Our File No. 4620 <br />Dear Joe: <br />SUITE 350 <br />NORTHERN FEDERAL BUILDING <br />SIXTH AND WABASHA <br />ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA55102 <br />September 14, 1983 <br />A review of our billings from January through July, 1983, <br />indicate that legal services billed to the City in 1983 are <br />$31,011.53. This amount includes costs advanced and legal <br />services rendered relative to the items we categorize as special <br />projects on our billing statement, and also includes legal <br />services rendered relative to improvement projects. Some of the <br />items categorized as special projects are charged to funds other <br />than the general fund. Legal work relative to the improvement <br />projects is charged to the improvement funds. Our records <br />indicate that legal services relative to the improvement projects <br />have totaled $5,652.70 through July. <br />Our Retainer Agreement provides for a monthly retainer for <br />civil work in the amount of $800.00. Our time records indicate <br />that approximately 34 hours per month are spent on legal services <br />included in our civil retainer. I am proposing that the 1984 <br />budget include a monthly retainer for civil work of $950.00. <br />Our 1983 Retainer Agreement provides for a monthly retainer <br />for criminal misdemeanor work in the amount of $1,350.00. Two <br />comments are necessary as to the criminal misdemeanor work. <br />Firstly, there has been an increase in the volume of <br />misdemeanors, which necessitates more court appearances for <br />pre - trials, court trials, and jury trials. Secondly, the number <br />of arraignments, which we must attend, has increased for each <br />month. Our present court appearances for the first seven months <br />of 1983 average nine per month. Therefore, I am proposing that <br />the 1984 budget include a monthly retainer for criminal <br />misdemeanor work of $1,550.00. <br />As we discussed with the City Council some time ago, <br />legislative changes necessitate our prosecution of certain gross <br />misdemeanor offenses. The legal fees relative to gross <br />misdemeanor prosecution have totaled $2,010.00 through July of <br />017 <br />