Florida the rules are different here Chapter LX

Three Belle Glade City Commissioners have voted to hire an outside lawyer at $325 an hour to fight the recall of two of the same Commissioners. Isn't that just lovely! If Garrett and Sanchez want to contest the recall, they should have to pay for the legal expenses but what the heck this is Florida. Don't you just love this state?

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BELLE GLADE — Taxpayers could pay up to $325 an hour to hire Boca Raton lawyers to defend the city's mayor and vice mayor against a voter-initiated recall petition.

By its now-customary 3-2 vote, the city commission approved an agreement to pay Hodgson Russ, a firm with seven offices including one in Boca Raton, only if it's successful in fending off the recall attempts.

"Myself and the mayor have not done anything," Vice Mayor Donald Garrett said.

"There's certain people that can't get over losing an election who's behind this," he added, referring to former Mayor Steve Wilson, who lost his reelection bid in March.

The rates are $325 and $200 an hour for law firm partner Peter Feaman and an associate, respectively.

Plus, the city agrees to pay expenses, including long-distance telephone charges, postage and photocopying.

The city will continue to "lawyer up," as news came via the city's clerk that the Palm Beach County supervisor of elections had certified the hundreds of petitions calling for the removal of Mayor Ray Torres Sanchez and Garrett for incompetence, malfeasance and misfeasance.

Garrett suggested and the commission approved hiring another law firm to fight the recall. At the end of the meeting, he called for hiring a third firm.

"Two law firms along with our attorneys defending the petition is, to me, excessive," City Commissioner Mary Kendall said.

Sanchez, Garrett and Commissioner Shelly Miller voted for the measures. Commissioners Kendall and Gwendolyn Asia-Williams opposed them.