Here’s a look at one month’s bill of Ancel Glink, the law firm which represents Grafton Township. You will note that it seems as if almost every decision passes through the hand of an attorney.
Former school superintendent Don Bond read much of the Ancel Glink legal bill at the March 11th Grafton Township meeting.
Resident Don Bonds read many parts of the bill at the last board meeting. He played the role this month that Grafton Township Trustee Gerry McMahon played in a previous month.
Page 1 on Ancel Glink's legal bill to Grafton Township. What I like best about this is the hour it took to research how to fill the vacancy of township clerk on 2/1 and the second hour it looks like it took to pretty much do the same think the next day. Note also that nothing takes less than 15 minutes. I would think attorneys would be able to bill in tenths of hours, that is, every six minutes. I imagine some do. (Click to enlarge.)
Page 2 of Ancel Glink's legal bill for Grafton Township. Note that it took an hour to prepare a congratulatory resolution for the outgoing township clerk, plus another 15 minutes to "prepare correspondence regarding proclamation" with more about the proclamation folded into exchanging correspondence with Trustee Rob LaPorta. That probably cost more than the plaque. (Click to enlarge.)
Page 3 of Ancel Glink's legal bill to Grafton Township. Note time spent providing the McHenry County State's Attorney with information. (Click to enlarge.)
Page 4 of Ancel Glink's legal bill to Grafton Township. Bills indicates job description for Township Administrator Pam Fender being prepared the day after she was hired. (Click to enlarge.)
Page 5 of Ancel Glink's legal bill to Grafton Township. An unnamed trustee complains about "false statements and misinformation in Northwest Herald blog" for which correspondence was prepared. That took 2.25 hours. Note correspondence from State's Attorney "regarding pending investigation." Anonymous trustee has document reviewed. (Click to enlarge.)
Grafton Township Attorney Keri-Lyn Krafthefer
Total hours billed for the shortest month of the year–90.25.
Total cost for three attorneys,
- Jeffrey R. Jurgens,
- Keri-Lyn Krafhefer and
- Jason T. Olsen,
billing Grafton Township $15,917.32.
That includes $301.07 for photocopies at an unstated rate per page.
“Amatures, Dude!” said Walter
$15,917.32 ?
The lawyer sits through meetings. Through as in start to finish. At a $185.00 per hour rate.
The lawyer talks to reporters when they call (don’t know if the Trustees approved that or thought that was a good idea or worth the charge). At a $185.00 per hour rate.
The Trustees needed or wanted a lawyer to prepare the congratulatory words for the outgoing, part-time Clerk. At a $185.00 per hour rate.
An Administrator is hired and the salary and benefits apparently already determined before the job description exists and the Trustees pay the lawyer to prepare the job description. At a $185.00 per hour rate.
An awful lot of people have access to the lawyer in the blink of an eye. At a $185.00 per hour rate.
Disagreement(s) between the Supervisor and Trustees? Yep.
Disagreement(s) between the Public and the Supervisor and/or Trustees? Yep.
Isn’t it amazing how billing time just conveniently ends up in quarter-hour segments?
The Township certainly has a hard-working attorney. On February 11 she billed for a 15 1/2-hour day.
Does the Township also pay a retainer or flat monthly fee for attendance at Township meetings?
Need to check your math there Gus. You’re off a little. Plus there were two attorneys billing for the day, albeit one was only for 1.5 hours.
In the real world all attorneys charge by the quarter hour, even if they talk to you for 5 minutes. It’s just the way it is, especially for the larger firms like this one.
I think she needs to be reported to the bar Association for inappropriate behavior as an Attorney.
$16k for one month for a township. I would think legal counsel would have a faduciary responsibility to see that this kind of thing does not happen. Do you think they warn the trustees the clock is ticking with every call? Because some of these calls, no many of these are redundent or silly. Who advises the trustees of that? $16k tax payer dollars to circumvent the tax paying will of the people…..
Jimmy D: Uh, no, quarter hour is NOT the standard billing practice. Not in the 20+ years I’ve been paying legal bills as part of my job. And two thoughts for Jeff Thorsen: 1. It’s a crying shame that taxpayers are paying for a government body to use an attorney against the taxpayers to raise their taxes and 2. Based on the times you post, don’t you ever sleep? And Jeffy Thirtyacre: You make a lot of sense for a Democrat. 😉
Paul Greenlee – I have worked in municipal government for a number of years (never in McHenry County) and every attorney I dealt with previously or currently deal with, charges by the quarter hour. Some smaller firms may charge at the 6-minute intervals, but larger firms that are typically hired by government entities charge the 15-minute intervals; especially when the person doing the billing is partner in that firm as Ms. Krafthefer is.
Jimmy D: We work in different arenas then. In 20+ years of insurance defense, our firms, including the largest and most prestigious in different jurisdictions) NEVER have billed quarter hours. We have always made it a condition, but in that time I have never received pushback. I have reviewed bills and had them reduced if I thought something was overbilled. I don’t see anybody on this township board or Fender being smart enough to do that. Personally, I think Ancel should be extremely embarrased.They are doing no favors to anyone.
Paul Greenlee says: I don’t see anybody on this township board or Fender being smart enough to do that. Personally, I think Ancel should be extremely embarrased. They are doing no favors to anyone.
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AGREED!