(A) Creation of office. There is hereby created the office of Corporation Counsel, an executive office of the village. The Corporation Counsel shall be appointed by the President and Board of Trustees.
(B) Suits and actions. The Corporation Counsel shall prosecute or defend all suits or actions at law or equity to which the village may be a part, or in which it may be interested, or which may be brought against or by any officer of the village on behalf of the village or in the capacity of such person as an officer of the village.
(C) Enforcement of judgments or decrees. It shall be the duty of the Corporation Counsel to see to the full enforcement of all judgments or decrees entered in favor of the village and of all similar interlocutory orders.
(D) Advice and opinions. The Corporation Counsel shall be the legal advisor of the village and shall render advice on all legal questions affecting it, whenever requested to do so by any village official. Upon request by the President of the Board of Trustees, he or she shall reduce any such opinion to writing.
(E) Compensation. The Corporation Counsel shall receive, in equal monthly installments, such compensation as may be fixed by the Board of Trustees for the performance of his or her ordinary duties. The Corporation Counsel shall receive additional compensation, as fixed by the Board of Trustees, for his or her services pertaining to special assessments and appearances in court on behalf of the village.
(F) Village Attorney. The President, with the consent of the Board of Trustees may appoint a Village Attorney(s) to assist the Corporation Counsel in the performance of his duties. Such Village Attorney shall work at the direction and assist the Corporation Counsel in the performance of his pursuit of village legal matters.
(G) Special counsel. The Corporation Counsel may from time to time retain an attorney to represent or advise the village on legal matters or to assist the Corporation Counsel.
(H) Staff attorney. The Corporation Counsel may retain a staff attorney, who will be an at will employee of the village, compensated at the rate of $5,000 per month. The staff attorney must be an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois for at least ten years, in good standing. The staff attorney shall perform duties as assigned and supervised by the Corporation Counsel.
(I) Residency. Any professional employee of the village who is an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois shall not be required to be a resident of the Village of Bellwood.
(`95 Code, § 31.33) (Am. Ord. 01-46, passed 12-20-01; Am. Ord. 6-99, passed 10-25-06)