(A) There is hereby established the office of City Attorney. (‘80 Code, § 250.1)
(B) The Mayor, with the approval of City Council, shall appoint a City Attorney who shall be the general law officer and legal counsel of the city. The Mayor may remove the City Attorney at will. He shall be chosen solely on the basis of his legal qualifications, with special emphasis on actual experience in or knowledge of Kentucky municipal and administrative law. The City Attorney may also engage in the private practice of law and may hold other public or private employment.
(C) The duties of the City Attorney shall be as follows:
(1) Prosecute or defend any and all suits or actions at law or equity to which the city may be a party, or in which it may be interested, or which may be brought against, or by, any officer of the city on behalf of the city, or in the capacity of such person as an officer of the city.
(2) Enforcement of all judgments or decrees rendered or entered in favor of the city, and of all similar interlocutory orders.
(3) Legal advisor to city officials and the City Council and shall render advice on all legal questions affecting the city, whenever requested to do so by any city officials. Upon request by the Mayor or by Council, he shall reduce any such opinion in writing.
(4) Completion of all special assessment proceedings and condemnation proceedings.
(5) Draft or supervise the phraseology of any contract, lease, or other documents or instruments, to which the city may be a party; and upon request of the Council, to draft ordinances covering any subjects with the power of the city.
(6) Perform such other duties as are prescribed by ordinances. (‘80 Code, § 250.1)
(D) In addition to the salary fixed for City Attorney by annual ordinance of City Council, the City Attorney shall receive additional compensation as an independent contractor for all extraordinary services, including appearances in legal actions and administrative proceedings and hearings involving the city, municipal bond issues, real estate acquisitions and dispositions, and other matters beyond the scope of usual legal counsel to the city or requiring an unusual amount of time. For such extraordinary services, the City Attorney shall be paid reasonable fees commensurate with the amount and value of time devoted thereto, based upon charges made by other attorneys for comparable legal services.
(E) No person shall be appointed or act as City Attorney unless such person has taken the oath required by Section 228 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and has provided a bond in the sum as established by City Council, with corporate surety authorized to transact business in Kentucky and conditioned upon the performance of the duties specified herein.
(`91 Code, § 31.39)