City Council amends 2011 budget, adds aldermen legal fund
Posted By Jim Hagerty On January 4, 2011 @ 1:30 pm In Happening Now | No Comments
By Jim Hagerty
Staff Writer
Rockford aldermen amended the city’s 2011 spending plan Monday, Jan. 3, giving them access to a $50,000 legal fund.
The special fund gives aldermen access to money for situations where they need legal representation, most notably during disagreements with the council and mayor.
While technically an amendment to the budget, the special fund doesn’t require extra spending. The legal money is part of the Legal Department’s budget, approved at the end of 2010.
The legal fund was approved after an 8-5 vote.
The idea to set aside legal funds was drafted after some council members disagreed with Mayor Larry Morrissey (I) and City Legal Director Patrick Hayes as they interpreted a city code centered on the mayor’s power to hire certain employees without council approval last year.
The debate prompted Ald. Carl Wasco (D-4) to use personal funds to hire an attorney to help explain the code.
The legal fund was proposed by Ald. Bill Robertson (I-14).
Venita Hervey (D-5), Pat Curran (R-2), Ann Thompson-Kelly ( D-7), John Beck (R-12) and Bill Timm (R-9) voted against it.
Those against Robertson’s plan cited several reasons for entering “no” votes. Beck said the fund is not needed as the city always makes funds available for legal matters as they come up.
Curran said $50,000 was an excessive allotment and considered voting for the plan had it been lowered to $25,000.
Ald. Tim Durkee (R-1) was absent.
The Rockford City Council meets in open session every Monday at 6 p.m. Meetings are in Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, downtown.
Article printed from The Rock River Times: http://rockrivertimes.com
URL to article: http://rockrivertimes.com/2011/01/04/city-council-amends-2011-budget-adds-aldermen-legal-fund/
URLs in this post:
[1] Image: http://delicious.com/post?url=http%3A%2F%2Frockrivertimes.com%2F2011%2F01%2F04%2Fcity-council-amends-2011-budget-adds-aldermen-legal-fund%2F&title=City+Council+amends+2011+budget%2C+adds+aldermen+legal+fund
[2] Image: http://digg.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Frockrivertimes.com%2F2011%2F01%2F04%2Fcity-council-amends-2011-budget-adds-aldermen-legal-fund%2F&title=City+Council+amends+2011+budget%2C+adds+aldermen+legal+fund&bodytext=By+Jim+Hagerty%0D%0AStaff+Writer%0D%0A%0D%0ARockford+aldermen+amended+the+city%27s+2011+spending+plan+Monday%2C+Jan.+3%2C+giving+them+access+to+a+%2450%2C000+legal+fund.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+special+fund+gives+aldermen+access+to+money+for+situations+where+they+need+legal+representation%2C+most+notably+during+disagreements+with+the+council+and+mayor.%0D%0A%0D%0AWhi
[3] Image: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Frockrivertimes.com%2F2011%2F01%2F04%2Fcity-council-amends-2011-budget-adds-aldermen-legal-fund%2F&t=City+Council+amends+2011+budget%2C+adds+aldermen+legal+fund
[4] Image: http://www.reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Frockrivertimes.com%2F2011%2F01%2F04%2Fcity-council-amends-2011-budget-adds-aldermen-legal-fund%2F&title=City+Council+amends+2011+budget%2C+adds+aldermen+legal+fund
[5] Image: http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Frockrivertimes.com%2F2011%2F01%2F04%2Fcity-council-amends-2011-budget-adds-aldermen-legal-fund%2F&title=City+Council+amends+2011+budget%2C+adds+aldermen+legal+fund
[6] Image: http://twitter.com/home/?status=http%3A%2F%2Frockrivertimes.com%2F2011%2F01%2F04%2Fcity-council-amends-2011-budget-adds-aldermen-legal-fund%2F
[7] Image: http://rockrivertimes.com/2011/01/04/city-council-amends-2011-budget-adds-aldermen-legal-fund/feed
Click here to print.