Galesburg City Council on Monday can approve a contract for the James Kelley Law Firm to serve as the City Attorney.
The City has been working to fill the role since Barash and Everett, contracting with the city since September 2022, submitted a resignation notice in May.
Barash and Everett attorneys Paul Mangieri and Leslie Day had a month-by-month contract with the city paying $8,333 monthly.
That’s an annual amount of $100,000. The contract for James Kelley would be $115,000 annually without benefits.
The James Kelley Law Firm is based out of Peoria.
Council documents say there was a lack of qualified applicants so the city invited three law firms who they already do business with to submit a proposal.
Besides James Kelley, Miller, Hall & Triggs, and the City Council’s recently hired legislative counsel Ancel Glink submitted proposals.
City administration is recommending the James Kelly Law Firm they say because of a combination of availability of staff, pricing, and track record of quality legal work with the city.
James Kelly and Jason Jording will be the primary attorneys working with the city.
The City attorney handles all day-to-day legal services for the City with the exception of some areas, like harassment or discrimination cases and areas that conflict with the Council’s outside legislative attorneys.
Some of the things the City Attorney covers are litigation, prosecuting ordinance violations, providing legal opinions, property transfers, collective negotiations, and drafting contracts, ordinances, and resolutions.
The City is still looking to fill the positions of City Manager and Director of Public Works.
