Legal counsel hire forces resignation

Apr. 11—TRAVERSE CITY — The Traverse City Light and Power Board gained a new legal counsel, but will lose its chairman in the process.

The utility board this week hired the Traverse City law firm of Olson & Howard P.C. as its new general counsel. The firm will replace longtime TCLP attorney Karrie Zeits, who utility officials said stepped down because of increasing responsibilities as legal counsel for the Northwest Regional Airport Authority.

But the decision also prompted the resignation of Light & Power Board Chair Ross Hammersley, who's an attorney at Olson & Howard and will be among the legal staff assisting the utility board going forward. Hammersley has served on the utility board since 2017, and his current term extends through April 5, 2027. His resignation is effective following the Light & Power Board meeting on June 11, shortly before the Olson & Howard legal services contract begins with the utility's new fiscal year on July 1.

"We're excited to work with Light & Power in that capacity," said Hammersley, who did not participate in the discussion or vote on the contract.

Olson & Howard P.C., which also serves as the legal counsel for the city's Downtown Development Authority and Grand Traverse County's Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, was among two local firms that responded to Light & Power's request for proposals for legal services. The other was Troposphere Legal, a climate, energy and environmental law firm based in Traverse City whose staff includes attorney Chris Bzdok, a former Traverse City mayor and Light and Power Board member, along with Grand Traverse County Commissioner TJ Andrews. Utility board members said both firms impressed an ad hoc committee that reviewed the proposals and interviewed firm representatives in mid-March, and that the board would be open to using Troposhere Legal for specialized legal services in the future.

Light & Power Chief Financial Officer Karla Myers-Beman said the contract with Olson & Howard will pay the firm an hourly rate of $225-$250 per hour depending on the staff attorney involved, and a $60 hourly rate for administrative work. Zeits was paid $170 an hour.

The utility has $40,000 in its 2023-24 budget for legal services, Myers-Beman said. The contract also includes provisions for a flat-rate fee for other legal services, including employee contract negotiations, she said.

Light & Power also will ask the City Commission to initiate an interview process to replace Hammersley on the utility board.

"We have a lot of great people in the community that are interested (in serving)," Hammersley said.