Districts, board hire law firms

ST. IGNATIUS – Days after Mission Irrigation District commissioners hired a new law firm to fend off perceived exorbitant charges from another attorney, the newly re-formed Flathead Joint Board of Control narrowly voted to retain the services of Attorney Jon Metropolous.

The board of control’s urgency comes on the heels of frantic legal maneuvering over the last few weeks involving the Flathead Water Compact.

Mission District

Facing an unexpectedly high $56,000 bill from Browning, Kaleczyc, Berry and Hoven Law Firm, commissioners unanimously hired Missoula-based Kaleva Law Firm to combat the charges.

Commissioners believe BKBH doubled charged them by retaining consultant Alpine Research and/or Alan Mikkelson. The firm charged the district $185 per hour for its services then hired Mikkelsen as a consultant and asked the district to pay his fees of $36,000, according to district records.

The Mission district still owes BKBH $54,613 total while the Jocko District still owes $28,904, according to district records.

“He was fired in 2013 and there was no meeting to re-hire him,” said Tim Orr, who was appointed to the board after the April recall election.

Board Chairman Jerry Laskody was outraged.

“I have never even seen a contract,” he said. “The Browning Firm hired a consultant without board approval. Now I am hearing from the audience that we feel we’ve been taken, especially with Mikkelson’s bill. I think we need some legal advice to untangle ourselves.”

The Jocko district commissioners had already hired Kaleva and the Mission commissioners unanimously followed suit.

The district originally hired BKBH to help block the enforcement of the Flathead Water Compact.

Joint Board of Control

On Monday, commissioners voted 6-5, with four abstentions and one nay vote, to retain Jon Metropolous as its attorney.