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ORDINANCE NO.
An Ordinance of the City of Kent prescribing
duties of the City Attorney; creating the
office of Assistant City Attorney, and
providing for appointment thereto, and
G a providing that no compensation shall be
,1J paid thaefor; and amending Section 1. of
Ordinance No. 105+, relating to the salary
of the City Attorney.
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENT DO ORDAIN as follows:
Section 1. It shall be the duty of the'City Attorney to
advise the city authorities and officers in all legal matters
pertaining to the business of the City, and to approve all
ordinances as to form. He shall represent the City in all actions
brought by or against the City, or against City officials in
their official capacity. He shall perform such other duties
as the City Council by ordinance may direct. Included in the
foregoing and in addition thereto, the City Attorney shall:
1. Attend each council meeting, regular and special.
2. attend meetings, upon request, of all official boards
and 'commissions of the City, particularly of the
Planning Commission and the Board of Adjustment.
3• Advise the Council, boards, commissions, department
heads and other City officials and officers, rendering
formal opinions when requested, or when it appears to the
attorney necessary or advisable.
4. Answer inquiries from citizens for information concern-
ing City matters.
5. Consult interested officials and officers concerning,
and prepare all resolutions, ordinances, petitions,
contrsbts, leases, easements, deeds, notices and
other legal documents, and suggested legislation, where
the responsibility for preparation is upon the City,
or requested by City officials; examine and approve,
or suggest changes, all such instruments when the duty of
preparation rests upon others thdn the City.
6. Prosecute in the court of original jurisdiction, and on
appeal in appellate courts, all alleged violations of City
ordinances, and actions to recover licenses, penalties and
forfeitures. Advise the proper officials and officers on
the filing of complaints therefor.
7. Prosecute and/or defend, in courts of original juris-
diction, and on appeal, all civil actions brought by or
against the City, or against officials, offiaws and
employees in their official capacity. Participate in
consultations concerning settlement of claims against the
City, or its officials, officers and employees in their
official capacities; provided that where insurance
counsel also defends the City, the main burden of such
actions may be left to such counsel. See to the
1.
Ultipate emfpreexpent pf all judgments and decrees rendered
in favor of the City in any action or suit.
8. Participate in the expedition of bond issues; providing
this shall not require an opinion of the validity of the
bonds in any case where special bond counsel is retained
by the City or any prospective bond buyers.
9. On request, participate in and consult concerning inter-
governmental relations in which the City is concerned.
10. Perform such other duties as may be required by the
laws of the State of Washington.
Section 2. The duties of the City attorney as prescribed
in Section 1. hereof shall not prohibit the use of special
counsel to assist the City Attorney in unusual cases of a
specialized nature when authorized by the City Council.
Section 3. Nothing herein shall prohibit the private practice
of law by the City Attorney so long as such practise does not
adrsely affect the performance of his duty as City Attorney and
provided that there is no conflict of interest between the City
and private clients. No attorney with whom the City Attorney
is associated in the privtte practice of law shall undertake to
represent any party whose interest does or might conflict with
the interests of the City of Kent. If conflict of interest should
develop between the private client of the City Attorney and the
City, the City Attorney shall withdraw from representation of
the private client and shall act only for the City.
Section 4. That there is hereby created the office of
Assistant City Attorney. The Assistant City Attorney shall be
appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by the City
Council, from a list of those submitted to the Mayor by the City
Attorney. Such Assistant City Attorney shall serve only during
the pleasure of the Mayor. The Assistant City Attorney shall,
under the direction of the City Attorney, assist and when neces-
sary substitute for the City Attorney, during vacations and
necessary absences of the City Attorney, and 40 --assist the City
Attorney
in his presenee at such times as
he
may
desire.
The
primary
resnslbility of the performance
of
the
duties
of the
office o,,City Attorney shall, however, rest upon the City
A ttornd and the utilization of the Assistant City Attorney by
2.
I the City Attorney shall be subject to periodic review by the
legislative and/or the executive branch of the city government
of the City of Kent. No salary shall be paid to or for the
Assistant City Attorney.
Section 5. In the event that services other than those
Ioutlined as the duties of the City Attorney in this ordinance
'should be required by the City of the City Attorney, provision
Ishall then be made between the City and the City Attorney for
compensation for those services on a mutually agreeable basis,
with consideration being given to the Washington State Bar
Association minimum fee schedule for hourly work and/or special
ppearances .
Section 6. That Section 1. of Ordinance No. 1054 entitled
"An Ordinance of the City of Kent fixing the salary of the City
Attorney and repealing Secon 1. of Ordinance No. 837", passed
7 December, 1959, approved $ December, 1959, and published
9 December, 1959, be and the same is hereby amended to read as
Tollows:
"Section 1.
The salary to be paid to the City Attorney of
Kent, commencing with the 1st of April, 1963, shall be the
sum of One -thousand ($1,000.00) Dollars per month."
Section 7. This ordinance shall take effect and be in
eorce five (5) days after its passage, approval and publication
is by law provided.
y
yor
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►tt •1
City er_
pproved as to form:
rney
USED the 18th day of March, 1963
?PROVED the 19th day of March, 1963 `
TBLISHED the 20th day of March,1963.