The Quad-City Times - News, Sports and more from the Quad Cities region or Iowa and Illinois

You are not logged in.
Login

Log in to qctimes.com
Email:
Password:
Remember my information.
Register
Quadsville
Site Help

Advanced Search

Warner promoted to head attorney for Davenport

Font Size:

Default font size

Larger font size

By Tory Brecht | Monday, May 19, 2008 |

Tom Warner (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

The city of Davenport promoted from within its legal staff to fill the vacant corporate counsel position.

Tom Warner — who has served as acting corporate counsel since June when former head lawyer Mary Thee went to work for Scott County rather than accept a demotion — was officially appointed Monday.

“I look forward to continuing my service to the city of Davenport, my hometown,” Warner said. “The city is heading in a positive direction, and I’m very optimistic about the future of Davenport and this organization.”

The city had advertised the position beginning in March, when aldermen decided it would be unwise to leave the position open.

Davenport has fewer lawyers on its staff than most of the other large cities in Iowa, despite having a large caseload.

While Davenport has three full-time and one part-time attorney, Des Moines has 16. Cedar Rapids, Sioux City and Iowa City all carry four — and their budgets typically are $100,000 higher per year.

Meantime, annual caseloads have spiked from between 60 and 80 per year in 2001 to between 150 and 175 in 2007, according to data from the legal department.

Warner was hired after being interviewed by a panel — which included aldermen Barney Barnhill, Shawn Hamerlinck and Gene Meeker. The panel unanimously recommended his hiring to City Administrator Craig Malin, with a starting salary of $94,000 per year. He is currently paid $83,591 annually.

Warner is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law. Before working for the city, he worked as an associate attorney with McDermott, Will & Emery in Chicago and Lane & Waterman in Davenport. He began working for the city in 1995.

Tory Brecht can be contacted at (563) 383-2329 or tbrecht@qctimes.com.