12 - Hiring of Prosecutor for Municipal Court

Home Browse Search

Item No. 12 memorandum TO: Mayor & City Council Grayson Path, City Manager FROM: Stephanie H. Harris, City Attorney SUBJECT: HIRING OF PROSECUTOR FOR MUNICIPAL COURT DATE: July 13, 2020 BACKGROUND: On June 28, 2016, Council authorized me to hire a contract prosecutor in lieu of filling the position of Assistant City Attorney that I vacated when Council appointed me to the position of Interim City Attorney in January 11, 2016. Local attorney Chris Fitzgerald performed those duties from August, 2017 through the end of June, 2020. I have reached an agreement with local attorney Erin Barbee Lewis to undertake these limited prosecutorial duties effective upon approval by the council. Ms. Lewis is a Paris native, and has recently moved back to Paris from the Dallas area with her family and is starting a solo practice. I am attaching a copy of Ms. Lewis' resume for your reference. I believe she is amply qualified for the duties of contract prosecutor. STATUS OF ISSUE: Section 28 of the City Charter allows the city attorney to appoint an assistant city attorney, if deemed necessary, subject to the approval of the City Council. While I do not believe that a contract prosecutor is an "assistant city attorney" within the meaning of this Charter provision, in an abundance of caution I am presenting this hire for Council approval. BUDGET: This proposed hire is budget neutral. Funds have already been budgeted for a contract prosecutor through the end of this fiscal year, and, pending Council's final approval, for fiscal year 2017-2018. A rate of $80.00/hour falls within these budgeted amounts and is well below the local hourly rate for legal services. Remember as well the substantial savings in hiring a contract prosecutor over having a full-time Assistant City Attorney. RECOMMENDATION: Approve hiring by city attorney of contract municipal court prosecutor.