LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — The Lafayette City Council will be considering an ordinance to hire a special counsel to represent them in a budget fight with Mayor-President Josh Guillory and his administration.

The move comes in the waning days of the budgeting process, with the budget adoption for next fiscal year set for Sept. 10. Council Chairman Pat Lewis will introduce the ordinance for special counsel on Aug. 18, meaning the soonest it could be adopted is Sept. 1 — just days beforfe the budget is adopted.

The council will vote on appointing Lea Ann Batson as special counsel. According to a press release from Lewis’ office, Batson has more than 30 years of experience as an attorney representing consolidated government in East Baton Rouge Parish, including four years as the Parish Attorney. Batson has also served on three different committees charged with revisions to East Baton Rouge’s Plan of Government.

“A better attorney could not have been referred with more experience and who is uniquely qualified to aid us as we work out the disagreement over how to interpret this new charter,” Lewis said. “Every day is crucial. We have a key budget hearing on August 27 that will almost certainly involve disputes over who can control city tax dollars. If the City Council loses control over city tax dollars, it will be difficult to prevent city tax dollars from being spent for non-city purposes. City taxpayers need and deserve their own legal representation.”

Lewis called the situation a “near-emergency,” and noted that concern has been expressed that the budget set to be adopted “may not be legal.”

The Home Rule Charter allows councils to hire an attorney to serve as special counsel for a “specific purpose.” In this case, Lewis said the City Council will consider hiring Ms. Batson for the purpose of assisting in its dispute with the administration and Parish Council over how to properly interpret and implement the joint decision-making aspects of the charter.

Ms. Batson will be paid at the same rates established by the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, Lewis said.