Antioch to hire second attorney

Despite a mayoral veto and a village trustee's removal from a meeting, it looks like Antioch board members will get what they've been fighting for: their own attorney.

Trustees gave themselves authorization Monday to hire legislative counsel. Whomever they choose will work in addition to the village attorney appointed by Mayor Dorothy Larson.

"This is not about the trustees; we are doing this for the taxpayers," Trustee Dennis Crosby said. "We feel we need to have the benefit of counsel that is giving us balanced points, not just representing the mayor."

The legislative counsel ordinance was passed by the board in July, vetoed by Larson in August and dismissed on a legal technicality this month when trustees tried to override Larson's veto.

Larson said she intends to veto this most recent ordinance but knows the board likely will override it.

"What I object to is the way they have handled this," she said Tuesday. "They have bullied this through when they didn't meet the criteria."

Trustees learned during the Sept. 4 meeting their chance to override Larson's veto had passed.

During that meeting, Trustee Robert Caulfield became angry and asked fellow board members to push forward with the override. During the infighting, Larson asked the chief of police to remove Caulfield.

Monday, armed with another copy of the original ordinance, Crosby, Caulfield and trustees Larry Hanson and Michael Wolczyz voted in favor of the measure. Trustees Scott Pierce and Bob McCarty, who have opposed separate legal counsel in the past, were absent.

Larson said a second attorney will only add conflict to already turbulent meetings.

"Now we have two attorneys, who do we listen to?" she said. "I know who I am going to go to for advice."

It is unknown who trustees will choose and how much the attorney will be paid. Larson said the move is a waste of taxpayer money.

Village Attorney Adam Simon charges rates ranging from $105 to $185 per hour. Last year, the village retained Rudy Magna at a flat rate of $15,000. Magna estimated he lost about $26,000 by not charging hourly.

Crosby said he has spoken to Simon, who reportedly said he has no problem working with a second attorney. Simon could not be reached for comment.

"As far as the cost, the mayor knows very well it is not our goal to spend more of the taxpayers' money," Crosby said. "We are entitled to have somebody on our side down there. Right now, the four independent trustees are pretty much on our own. We need some help."