Town's legal requirements under review in 2025​

Posted December 18, 2024

 

New Tecumseth council has ordered a full review, including a presentation of options, related to the future of its legal services.

​

Put forward by Ward 6 ccouncillor Nicole Cox, and appended to the 2025 budget, direction is to undertake a comprehensive review of the Town’s current legal service model, including an assessment of the municipality’s current and projected legal needs;  an evaluation of the costs and benefits of maintaining the current model versus hiring additional or alternative legal counsel, which may include external firms, shared services with other municipalities, or an in-house legal counsel model; and, a review of legal counsel staffing models and best practices in comparable municipalities.

​

James (Jay) Feehely, of Feehely Gastaldi, has served as Town solicitor since January 1, 1991,  the day Alliston, Beeton, Tecumseth and Tottenham were amalgamated. Feehely had been counsel for the former Village of Tottenham. Most of his work involves bylaws, development agreements and litigation outside those handled by insurance appointed lawyers. There is no single line item showing how much New Tecumseth spends annually on legal - a portion which is charged back to developers.

​

​"This review will assess our legal needs, explore cost-effective options, and identify best practices, including the potential for alternative legal counsel models," said Cox. "By conducting this comprehensive review, we aim to ensure that the Town receives high-quality legal support while being fiscally responsible to our residents."

​