If the Kane County state’s attorney prosecutes misdemeanor and traffic cases for the Tri-Cities, it will cost twice as much as last year but still not as much as a private attorney.
The Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles City Councils will be asked next month to approve an agreement paying the state’s attorney’s office $25,000 to do the job.
The three cities are expected to divide the cost equally.
“There really isn’t any viable economic option,” said Batavia Ald. Rory Weiler, an attorney. “To have our own city attorney prosecute these cases is too time-consuming and just wouldn’t be worth it.”
The state’s attorney’s office asked initially for triple what it charged the municipalities last year, according to Batavia Chief Robert Warner.
But a negotiating team of Geneva city attorney Charles Radovich and St. Charles city attorney Allen Landmeier was able to reduce the requested fee, Warner said.
The cities sought bids from private law offices, but none came back lower than $25,000, he said.