Sec. 1-49. Role of the City Attorney.
(a) Legal defense of the city and any elected official is set forth in City Charter article X, part 1. Payment of legal fees concerning censure shall follow the rules and procedures set forth in the Conduct Guidelines of the Rules of Order and Procedure for the Aurora, Colorado City Council.
(b) Legal fees for council members who are the subjects of a complaint shall be available when:
(1) After the panel makes the initial determination that the complaint is viable and subject to formal proceedings.
(2) If pursuant to this section the council member retains legal counsel, nothing herein shall prohibit the legal counsel and council member from admitting the violation but contesting or agreeing to a stipulation on any recommendation of consequences.
(3) Legal counsel shall be entitled to appear before city council for the purpose of arguing for mitigation of the nature of punishment recommended by the panel.
(4) The city council shall not have the authority to reverse or modify the findings of the panel but it shall retain the exclusive authority to impose any punishment.
(c) The city attorney shall provide an annual report to the management and finance committee on the cost to retain outside counsel and conduct proceedings pursuant to this article. (Ord. No. 2019-51, § 1, 8-19-2019)