Politics & Government
Fridley Hires New City Attorney
Darcy Erickson starts Oct. 1. Fritz Knaak will finish 16 years with Fridley Nov. 15.
The Fridley City Council accepted a recommendation Monday evening from City Manager William Burns that it was time to change city attorneys.
Burns recommended Fridley hire Darcy Erickson of LeVander, Gillen and Miller, P.A., in South St. Paul, as the new city attorney. She will replace Frederic “Fritz” Knaak, of Knaak and Kantrud, P.A., in Vadnais Heights, who served Fridley for 16 years.
In his report to the council, Burns wrote, “Although this change has some sad and painful aspects to it, I think it is truly in the best interest of the city.”
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The city manager said it had been some time since the city had reviewed its financial arrangements with attorney Knaak. He said there have been concerns about what he termed a lack of responsiveness by Knaak to staff questions and requests.
Fee-for-service, Not Retainer
Burns noted that Knaak had been on a monthly retainer of $5,777 and that the new contract will be a fee for service arrangement. Attorney time at staff and council meetings will be billed at $100 an hour and most other charges will be $135 an hour, according to Burns.
Find out what's happening in Fridleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
( going to court in Anoka was one of the considerations earlier this year when the Fridley council downgraded some offenses to petty misdemeanors.)
Knaak’s last day with the city will be Nov. 15. Burns said that in the meantime Knaak will work with staff to finish projects and cases that have been in the works. Monday night’s meeting was his last one acting as city attorney, Burns said.
Erickson’s first order of business will be to meet city staff Monday and to receive some initial orientation, Burns said. She will officially begin her work with the city on Oct. 1. The contract with LeVander, Gillen and Miller continues through Dec. 31, 2016.
Familiar Face
Besides Fridley Council meetings, Knaak is a familiar face from TPT's Almanac public-affairs show, on which he is a regular political commentator. In 2008-09, he represented former Sen. Norm Coleman during Minnesota's U.S. Senate recount. Earlier this year against an ethics charge involving .
Knaak, a former state senator, also provides legal services to several other cities, according to his firm's web page.
