How much money are they really saving?

I note with significant interest the call from certain quarters within the city of Blue Springs for the hiring of a full-time city attorney.

And while there may be some benefit to such a move, the stated reason of saving money is one that makes no sense to me.

Certainly it’s easy to say that the city paid City Attorney Bob McDonald, a local lawyer in private practice, $161,650 last year, and could hire an in-house attorney for an annual salary of about half that sum.

Such a simplistic approach, however, ignores much.

The first circumstance not considered by such a view is: Where are you going to put the new city attorney? City Hall is busting at the seams. Every nook, cranny and broom closet in every city building is already packed with people who need more space as it is.

It seems that the city would need to rent, buy or build office space to house a city attorney. Don’t forget to add that cost to the budget.

Another cost perhaps not considered: benefits. The city would have to pony up for health insurance, workers comp insurance, liability insurance and retirement for an in-house attorney. Add that in, too.

What about staffing? A city attorney would need a secretary. That expense, and all that goes with it, needs to be included in the calculation.   

Then there are the issues of professional dues, continuing education, legal publications, and the cost of a law library, not to mention computer equipment, software, office furniture, telephone expense, pens, paper, ink, file folders, paper clips, staples, and, yes, post it notes.

It may sound silly, but take it from me, these items can really add up. The expenses in the preceding paragraph alone would cost the city several tens of thousands of dollars a year to keep an in-house attorney chugging merrily along.

Of course, at the present time, virtually all of the expenses noted above are coming out of Attorney McDonald’s pocket, not the city’s.

Financial issues aside, I acknowledge that a full-time staff attorney would likely offer a higher level of accessibility than a local lawyer in private practice.

But if the city decides it wants to get into the law business without fully considering the financial implications, I think that would represent poor fiscal planning.

So while the city could no doubt go out and find an attorney willing to join its staff for a salary of $85,000 a year, the annual cost to the city would, no doubt, be in the range of twice that sum.

It also bears mentioning that I have dealt with McDonald on a variety of legal issues over the last 20 years. He brings to the table an encyclopedic knowledge of local government law that is unmatched by anyone I know, combined with as broad a range of general legal knowledge and experience as you’ll ever find.

I doubt that the city would be able to hire a lawyer of his quality and ability for a salary in the range being contemplated.

And if a less-experienced, lower-compensated in-house attorney is hired, the city will no doubt still be paying more legal fees to outside legal counsel, for special legal expertise and experience necessary to deal with some of the issues facing our fair city.