$100K in Cafritz Legal Fees Gives Council Sticker Shock

After a tense exchange with the mayor and town lawyer Monday night, the University Park Town Council delayed a decision on whether to set aside another $60,000 for Cafritz development legal fees.

The decision came after several council members said they did not have enough details or time to consider the transfer.

University Park Mayor John Tabori suggested the funds be transferred into a new line item to be called Cafritz Legal Fees. The funds would be used in addition to the town’s $30,000 legal fee line item to pursue the Cafritz appeals. Tabori arrived at the $67,500 number in consultation with Ferguson.

“The number $67,500 is the top number we came up with and assumes you will have to go through full court hearings on preliminary and special permit and appeals and presentation and any other materials that are developed by the lawyers for the DSP,” Tabori told the council.

“I think it’s very, very important if we are going to do these appeals we make it very clear what the impact will be on our budget and that the community be aware of it,” Tabori added.

Council members pushed back against Tabori, requesting more information.

“We’ve already budget $30,000 in legal fees,” Council Member James Gekas (Ward 2) said.

“I’m just surprised we didn’t get a breakdown of the cost,” he added.

Council Member Arlene Christiansen concurred with Gekas, and said she felt this lack of details from Tabori was a persistent problem.

“For the past year, we’ve had conversations about things that appear in our packets over the weekend and there’s not council member sponsoring things,” Christiansen said. “This falls into the same category of not having the details or the background.”

Christiansen proceeded to press Ferguson for more detailed information about the cost of the appeals and her billing practices, and if she could cross bill the special permit appeal and the preliminary plan appeal.

"If there is any concern on your part you can look at my billing,” Ferguson told Christiansen.

“Frankly if we have to go any further into what I’m going to be doing tactically and strategically, I’m very uncomfortable doing that in open session,” she added.