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CITY OF BANNING
STAFF REPORT

 
 
TO:
CITY COUNCIL
 
FROM:
Elizabeth Gibbs, City Manager
 
PREPARED BY:
Sandra Calderon, Deputy City Clerk
 
MEETING DATE:
October 27, 2026
 
SUBJECT:

Approval of City Attorney Invoices for the Month of September 2026

 
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:

Approve the attorney invoices for September 2026 as presented in the amount of $148,314.15.

BACKGROUND:

Invoices cover legal services provided to the City during September 2026 and are submitted for Council approval.

JUSTIFICATION:

The invoices reflect legal services provided to the City during September 2026. Approval is necessary to ensure timely payment for contracted legal services.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Funds are available within the City's adopted budget for legal services.

 

The attached legal services billings represent attorney’s fees and costs incurred related to the following:

  • Three Receivership cases authorized by the City Council in the total amount of $3,585.04.
    • Potential recovery of all or some of the legal fees and costs from the property owner. 
  • Two CEQA lawsuits in the amount of $3,439.80 and $6,298.60.
    • The developer has an obligation to reimburse the City for all legal fees and costs associated with this litigation. We have recently received a check from one developer to reimburse the City for legal fees and costs incurred to date in the amount of $46,803.50 and the same developer made a deposit to cover the future cost of litigation related to this matter so as to relieve any fiscal impact to the general fund. We are working with the other developer to do the same (reimburse the City for the legal fees and cost incurred to date and deposit to relieve any fiscal impact to the general fund). This is a best practice that will be implemented on a go forward basis for any future CEQA litigation. 
  • Breach of Contract lawsuit in the amount of $1,218.00.
  • Other miscellaneous litigation including defense of Pitchess Motions $9,538.21.
  • Litigation initiated by an elected official against the City $29,912.40.
  • General legal services related to the day-to-day operations of the City $74,896.50.
  • Labor Negotiations related to the fiscal emergency, budget adoption, and concession bargaining $17,267.20.
  • Potential development project $1,398.40.
    • This amount is charged to the developer’s deposit on hand and therefore does not impact the general fund. 
  • Legal advice to the Police Department $760.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Banning Statements-September 2026_Redacted.pdf