Legal fees costing Pottstown taxpayers $10,000 per month

POTTSTOWN — Doing legal work for the borough is a lucrative business.
A review of the borough's legal bills over the past three years indicates that Garner & Bauer, the firm whose namesake Charles D. Garner Jr. is borough solicitor, bills taxpayers an average of $10,000 per month.A review of those invoices shows that Garner's firm, which also provides services to the Pottstown Planning Commission, has earned $64,277 in the first six months of 2008, averaging $10,879.51 per month.That's an improvement over 2007, when the firm averaged only $10,033 per month, taking in a total of $120,397.62.In 2006, the average was better — $10,349.85 per month — earning the firm a total of $124,198.28.According to the bills, the firm charges $150 per hour for general legal and litigation services and $120 per hour for services provided to the planning commission, which is the smaller portion of the work, generally between 12 and 16 hours per month.This figure seems to be at odds with the 2008 adopted budget, which divides legal costs among many departments, but adds up to only $80,000.Although by far earning the most money, Garner is not the only firm on the payroll.Up until 2007, legal services for the Pottstown Borough Authority were provided by David Allebach, a partner in the firm of Yergey, Daylor, Allebach, Scheffey and Picardi.The rate he charged prior to being replaced in 2007 was $135 per hour.That year, he earned $20,445 for his firm.In 2006, Allebach's firm charged water and sewer system ratepayers nearly $62,000 for legal services and his bills averaged just over $5,000 per month.By comparison, his replacement is a bargain.David Garner, who also does double duty as president of Pottstown Borough Council, began billing the authority's customers in May, 2007.That year he was paid $20,442.32, averaging about $2,500 per month.Garner, who is cousin to the borough solicitor, has so far earned $16,353 in 2008, having billed through June when the legal bills were examined by The Mercury.His monthly average was $2,336.18 in 2008.

Pottstown Mercury - 09/07/08 - http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=20109941&BRD=1674&PAG=461&dept_id=635482&rfi=8