The City Attorney shall be the attorney for the Commission and when requested by the Commission shall present matters concerning civil service employees to the Commission, except the Commission may hire a counselor or an attorney on a per diem basis to represent it when in the opinion of the Commission there is a conflict of interest between the Commission and the Council. In the event the Commission determines that there exists a conflict of interest, the counselor or attorney hired by the Commission shall not be the City Attorney. The City shall pay the costs incurred by the Commission in employing an attorney under this section.