Legal costs questioned by Callaghan

Councillor Deb Callaghan would like to see a comparison of legal costs between this and the previous term of council.

In business arising during the Nov. 19 council session, she raised a motion seconded by councillor Barb Tocher, requesting staff to prepare a report on the money spent on legal fees during the three years of the previous term of council, compared with the legal fees spent during the current term of council to date.

The report is to also include the purpose behind the various legal expenditures.

Callaghan said she raised the motion following concerns raised by members of the public “that it appears we are spending a lot of money on legal fees.”

In addition, she said she was asked if there was a means to compare legal fees spent this terms as compared to the previous term.

Maieron said it was a fair enough request.

“Usually when I sign the cheques I ask questions, because like the engineering fees, there seems to be escalating costs,” said Maieron.

Council quickly endorsed the motion.