SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake City Council approved a $40 per hour pay increase for its city attorney.

The terms of the agreement between Soap Lake City Attorney Katherine Kenison includes an hourly rate increase from $160 an hour, which has been in place since 2010, to $200 an hour.

“I asked her, I said ‘what's the typical going rate in Grant County for a municipal lawyer?’ And she said the average is about $250 an hour,” Mayor Raymond Gravelle told the council.

“I hope that everyone would think twice of that cost before contacting the attorney for any reason,” Deputy Clerk Anita Richardson said.

City attorneys act as a legal advisor for the city council, city staff and other departments in a city. Legal council in a city setting is typically tasked to create and review any and all contracts, resolutions, ordinances and other documents pertaining to city business. The attorney is also tasked to represent the city in the event of litigation.

Kenison, of the Ephrata-based law firm Lemargie, Kenison, Franz & Whitaker, represents a few other municipalities in the area in addition to Soap Lake, including the biggest city in Grant County, Moses Lake, as well as Ephrata, Royal City and Mattawa. The hourly rate increase will be across the board for all the cities Kenison represents.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.