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City Council Study Session - 09/18/06 Minutes - Page 6 definitive costs upon the Council's creation of specific questions to be addressed, rather than the current open-ended requests. Mr. Miller noted that the City has not provided for this type of legal representation in the 2006 budget, nor would such costs be covered under the City's insurance policy with the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (LMCIT); and would need to be funded from the City's cash reserves. Discussion among Councilmembers included Council action at the September 11, 2006 Council meeting to hold further action pending whether the Minnesota Supreme Court would hear the petition for review of the Court of Appeals decision; qualifications of the three firms responding and their billing ranges; need for a set of legal questions to inventory; and whether such a decision to hire outside and independent legal counsel was premature. Councilmember Maschka opined that at this time, such action was premature, but that at some point it would make sense. Councilmember Kough opined that the firms should determine the specific questions needing investigation. Councilmember Pust expressed her confusion in how a legal opinion could be sought on issues as yet to be defined and additional concern that if the outside legal firm defined the issues and generated a list of questions, that appeared to be the most expensive path, due to their lack of background. Councilmember Pust opined that the City Council, as a group, should define 10- 15 questions; allowing the firm to refine and combine the issues as they determined. Councilmember Ihlan reiterated her original proposed motion, lacking Council majority, from several Council meetings to-date, suggesting a list of questions. Councilmember Ihlan opined her support for hiring an outside, independent, or "fresh look" at what the issues should be of concern to the City. Councilmember Ihlan spoke in support of one of the firms in particular; and opined that immediate action was preferable to delaying action.