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AGENDA ITEM REVIEW FORM
7.H.
Regular City Council Meeting
Meeting Date:
01/28/2026
Department Head:
Kay Macuil
Submitted By:
Kay Macuil, City Attorney, Attorney's Office
Action Requested:
Motion

ITEM:

Discussion and possible action on any and all matters regarding payment for legal work of the city's outside counsel, Gammage & Burnham, for the federal lawsuit against the city, Gethsemani Baptist Church v. San Luis.  (Kay Marion Macuil, City Attorney)

SUMMARY:

The City's Outside Counsel, Gamage & Burnham, submitted to the City for payment for legal work on the federal case that Gethsemani Baptist Church brought against the City of San Luis (U.S. District Court for Arizona Civil Case No. 2:24-cv-00534-ESW Gethsemani Baptist Church v. San Luis). Subtracting the legal fees that were already approved by the City Council, the following fees have been paid, so we request ratification.

$48,390.28 in the fiscal year July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025, and
$69,798.79 in the fiscal year July 1, 2025 - to date.
$118,189.07 Total

Since this total, we have involved Gamage & Burnham to help us work through the legal issues that arose with Gethsemani's lack of compliance with the Federal Court-Ordered Consent Decree. We will return to the City Council if these issues are estimated to go beyond $45,000. 

RECOMMENDATION / SUGGESTED MOTION:

I MOVE TO RATIFY $118,189.07 IN LEGAL EXPENSES TO GAMMAGE AND BURNHAM AS PRESENTED.

Fiscal Impact

IS THERE FISCAL IMPACT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ITEM:
Yes
CITY/STATE/FEDERAL FUNDS:
City
TOTAL:
$69,798.79 Please see the fiscal impact statement
BUDGETED AMOUNT:
$480,000 Please see the fiscal impact statement
AVAILABLE AMOUNT TO TRANSFER:
N/A
ACCT NAME & GL#/REMAINING BALANCE BEFORE PURCHASE:
City Attorney Legal Services GL Account 100-117-80003 Balance $185,490.00

FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT (IF THIS IS A BUDGET TRANSFER, YOU MUST ATTACH THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENT FORM):

* The $69,798.79 total cost is for the current fiscal year, starting July 1, 2025. The $480,000 budget amount is for all outside legal costs for this fiscal year.

The additional $48,390.28 requested for ratification is for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025.

The payment over the two fiscal years is the total requested $118,189.07

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