Watertown councilman seeks updates on legal fees and other city costs
Watertown Councilman Shane Garrabrant has proposed regular updates to the City Council on legal fees, overtime and other expenses after the city’s reported legal spending exceeded its budget.
By Jessica Hale, ClickNNY North Country Desk
Watertown Councilman Shane Garrabrant is proposing that city staff provide the City Council with updates on legal fees, overtime and other costs after the city’s legal expenses were reported at $704,347 for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
The reported total was nearly $270,000 above the $435,000 legal budget. Garrabrant said he was unaware the city had spent more than $700,000 on legal fees.
The city’s legal work was handled by two firms, with reported hourly rates of $350 for one attorney, $325 for two others and $275 for a fourth. Councilman Robert Kimball said the spending did not alarm him and noted that the council approved a budget reconciliation moving about $123,000 into the legal account.
Legal spending had been about $239,000 in 2023-24 and $236,000 the following year. The 2024-25 budget set aside $525,000.
Garrabrant has also sought information about fire department overtime and opposed a $50 water late fee in September. Fire overtime was reported as potentially reaching $1.1 million. City costs such as legal fees and overtime affect the property tax levy; a 2026-27 budget projection showed an 11.1% property tax increase.
City Council meetings are held at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers at 245 Washington Street. Meeting agendas and updates are available through the Watertown City Agenda Center.
Garrabrant can be reached through his city email at sgarrabrant@watertown-ny.gov.
Reported by ClickNNY and reviewed by an editor before publication.
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