(A) The Department of Law shall be under the direction of the Director of Law who shall be accountable to the City Manager. He, or a representative, shall perform the following duties when directed to do so by the City Manager:
(1) Attend meetings of Council and Boards and Commissions when requested;
(2) Advise and render opinions to the City Manager on all matters of law involving the municipality, officers, and departments in the performance of their official duties;
(3) Approve all ordinances, contracts, resolutions and other documents of a legal nature to be made and entered into by the municipality, and approve the form thereof;
(4) Represent the municipality before all courts sitting within the state in actions at law in which the municipality is a party;
(5) Assist in the preparation of documents and transcripts for the issuance of bonds and notes of the municipality;
(6) Perform such other duties as may be assigned to the Department of Law by statute and as may be necessary and proper in the administration of the business of the municipality;
(7) Advise and assist the Assistant Director of Law if one is appointed; and
(8) Be available at the Municipal Building at preset times in order to meet with the department heads and Council members for the purpose of discussing city business.
(B) The minimum salary for the Law Director shall be $44,004, unless otherwise negotiated and modified by legislation. The Law Director shall receive the life insurance, workman's compensation insurance, and retirement benefits in and to the extent of a full-time employee of the municipality, and shall pay the appropriate employee shares as described in Chapter 37 of this code. The Law Director may elect to receive medical insurance through the city’s group medical insurance plan as outlined in § 37.31. The Law Director, subject to approval of the City Manager, shall receive reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred for attending conferences related to the performance of the Law Director's position, membership in various municipal organizations, municipal publications, and for public official liability insurance and professional liability insurance for those services performed in his capacity as Law Director. The Law Director is not entitled to sick leave, holidays, vacation pay, longevity or any other benefit not specified herein. The salary shall cover all activities listed in division (A) of this section. The City Manager shall require that the Law Director to present a monthly record of how all time was spent. The Law Director shall be compensated for all time worked in excess of 256 hours annually (exclusive of time spent prosecuting by the Law Director or Assistant Law Director) at a rate of $100 per hour and shall be compensated at a rate of $125 per litigation hour unless negotiated and modified by legislation.
(C) The Director of Law, or the Assistant Director of Law if one is appointed, shall prosecute in the municipal court all cases based on affidavits filed therein by the police division and by other municipal officers, alleging violations of municipal ordinances and of state laws, and prosecute such cases based on affidavits filed in such court by private parties as appear to the Director of Law or the Assistant Director of Law to be meritorious. The compensation for these services shall be determined by the Director of Law. This compensation shall be included in the annual salary as set forth in division (B) of this section.
(D) The Director of Law shall represent the municipality or any board or committee thereof in lawsuits, controversies, or litigations, and for proceedings against the municipality at the hourly rates for litigation provided in division (B) of this section, including preparation and research for these appearances.
(1974 Code, § 34.20) (Ord. 26-69, passed 7-21-1969; Am. Ord. 7-76, passed 2-16-1976; Am. Ord. 65-80, passed 11-3-1980; Am. Ord. 24-82, passed 6-7-1982; Am. Ord. 29-83, passed 11-21-1983; Am. Ord. 10-86, passed 3-3-1986; Am. Ord. 64-88, passed 12-19-1988; Am. Ord. 60-91, passed 11-18-1991; Am. Ord. 37-94, passed 11-21-1994; Am. Ord. 34-97, passed 12-1-1997; Am. Ord. 39-00, passed 12-18-2000; Am. Ord. 38-03, passed 12-1-2003; Am. Ord. 32-06, passed 12-4-2006; Am. Ord. 49-08, passed 12-15-2008; Am. Ord. 21-10, passed 11-15-2010; Am. Ord. 26- 11, passed 12-19-2011; Am. Ord. 1-14, passed 1-6- 2014; Am. Ord. 26-14, passed 11-17-2014; Am. Ord. 44-15, passed 11-16-2015; Am. Ord. 5-18, passed 1-16-2018)