Delavan City Council apparently isn’t satisfied with their city attorney. So, they are looking for a replacement.
“He’s very, very difficult to get ahold of,” says Councilman Chris Kruse.
He was referring to David Frundt of Frundt, Lundquist and Gustafson, who recently did not have his contract renewed with the city of Wells.
Discussion of hiring a new attorney for 2023 was an agenda item discussed at the council’s Nov. 14 meeting.
“It’s not working so well,” says Mayor Dan Haugh in referring to their current attorney.
Council members agreed that they should start seeking a Request For Proposal (RFP) from attorneys in the area who may be interested.
Haugh says the city of Bricelyn recently hired an Albert Lea attorney he is familiar with and suggested she could be considered a candidate.
Frundt also serves as the city attorney for the cities of Blue Earth, Easton, Elmore, Frost, Minnesota Lake and Winnebago.
Whoever is hired as the next city attorney will have to educate the council as to when a closed-session can be held.
Prior to the council meeting starting at 7 p.m., attorney Jason Kuboushek says he met with council members in a closed meeting to discuss terms of a settlement reached in a civil lawsuit.
Haugh referred to the meeting with Kuboushek that started at 6:30 p.m. as being a closed-session.
Generally, when a meeting is to be closed to the public it is stated on the agenda and takes place after it has started.
Also, the council must do the following:
- make a statement on the record;
- give the specific statutory section that requires or permits the meeting to be closed or identify in some way the legal authority allowing a closed meeting;
- and, specifically describe what will be discussed, which requires more than just identifying possible discussion issues.