Minutes - 2001/08/27 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council. August 27, 2001 Regular Meeting Page 14 . Council Member Stigney stated this needed to be looked at because he believed a part of this should fall under his retainer. Council Member Marty agreed and stated this amount seemed to be substantial and a good part of the budget had been used for attorney's fees. Assistant to the City Administrator Reed stated there was a provision in the contract that any remaining funds would go back into the Festival in the Park and if these fees were removed that was what would happen. City Administrator Miller stated she recalled Mr. Riggs was in attendance and met with members of the Festival Committee. What had come out of those discussions was how much the event had cost the City in the past and the agreement reflected those past costs which was reflected in that $4,000.00 figure. Mayor Sonterre asked if attorney's fees had been addressed in the past. City Administrator Miller replied this had not been addressed. She stated it was her understanding that these costs would not be costs incurred in the future. Council Member Stigney asked if the contract protected the City, or did it only protect the Festival Committee. • , Sherry Gunn, 8120 Red Oak Court, stated the City s donation had always been $4,000.00, which was applied to the fireworks, but this year because of the contract that the City had required, they came up short. She stated they did not ask for the contract and they understood they would not have to pay for the attorney's fees. City Administrator Miller replied they had not discussed attorney's fees. Mayor Sonterre stated he personally liked the contract idea, but it was not fair to the Festival to have fees such as these come up without warning. Ms. Gunn stated it was not in the contract that they would have to pay for the attorney's fees. Council Member Quick stated typically they charged the other entity for these types of charges. He stated the attorney was sort of a City employee, and it was up to the Council to determine where the money came from. Council Member Marty indicated the Festival had been going for many years, it was for the citizens, and they were operating it at a "bare bones" budget. The festival was not making any money, but it was providing a nice service for the citizens. He wondered if they could just cut it off at $4,000.00, and the City could pay the additional amount above $4,000.00 for this year only. He stated the Festival would be paying for the "lion's share" of it anyway.