April 19, 2011
To the Editor:
In 2008-09, the village paid the firm of Rider, Weiner and Frankel $4,000/month on a fixed retainer for regular business, litigation extra. (Note: a fixed retainer means a law firm is paid a fixed monthly fee, and they provide whatever services are required, whether it takes one hour or one thousand.)
In 2010-11, the new majority on the board hired Tarshis, Catania, Liberth, Milligram and Mahon at $175.00 an hour. No fixed retainer, just an hourly fee. In six months, the bill grew to $90,184.00.
Now Tarshis, Catania, Liberth, Milligram and Mahon has been again hired to provide legal counsel for the village, at a retainer. But not a fixed retainer. The “new" retainer is: we pay them $5,000 per month for 28 hours of work (that works out to $178.57 per hour). Any time over 28 hours is to be billed at $175 per hour.
The taxpayers were told the law firm was hired with a retainer – but not a fixed retainer. Friends, there is a difference. The retainer agreement we have now is a minimum guarantee for the law firm, and a black hole in the village budget for the taxpayers.
Total cost to the village taxpayers in the coming year???? I guess we'll have to wait and see – and get your checkbooks ready!
Emily Thomas
Cornwall on Hudson
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