City Attorney's Office Restructure, State Law ImpactsCopyrighted
September 15, 2025
City of Dubuque CONSENT ITEMS # 18.
City Council
ITEM TITLE: City Attorney's Office Restructure, State Law Impacts
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending City Council approval of the
City Attorney's Office restructuring plan.
SUGGUESTED Receive and File; Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
1. MVM Memo
2. MVM_CAO Reorg_9-11-25
Page 631 of 1171
THE CITY OF
DUBE
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: City Attorney's Office Restructure, State Law Impacts
DATE: September 11, 2025
Dubuque
AI WIN av
2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
City Attorney Crenna Brumwell is recommending City Council approval of the City
Attorney's Office restructuring plan.
Prior personnel complement of 5.62 FTE:
City Attorney
Senior Counsel
Assistant City Attorney I I
Civil Rights Specialist (eliminated)
Paralegal (vacant)
Legal Administrative Assistant
Proaosed Dersonnel complement. 5.62 FTE:
City Attorney
Senior Counsel
Assistant City Attorney I I
Assistant City Attorney I
Lead Administrative Support Professional
Administrative Support Professional
Elimination of the Civil Rights Specialist and creation of an Assistant City Attorney I
position achieves compliance with Iowa Code Chapter 19 and creates additional
capacity for legal work within the City Attorney's Office.
Reclassification of the Paralegal position to Lead Administrative Support Professional is
consistent with the duties that would be expected within the office; Joni Medinger would
take on this position and recruitment for an Administrative Support Professional would
be planned for after a new attorney was on -boarded, approximately mid -fiscal year.
Page 632 of 1171
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
2
Page 633 of 1171
THE CITY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
CRENNA M. BRUMWELL, ESQ.
CITY ATTORNEY
TO: MICHAEL C. VAN MILLIGEN, CITY MANAGER
DATE: SEPTEMBER 11, 2025
RE: OFFICE RESTRUCTURE, STATE LAW IMPACTS
Dubuque
All•Amerin 04
2007-2012.2013
2017*2019
The City Attorney's Office is currently in flux related to staffing. Our paralegal took a
position at the Airport in February; we have yet to fill the position as we were looking at
our structure to determine how best to meet the needs of the organization. Additionally,
several state law changes are having impact on city operations, whether it be civil service
procedures, traffic enforcement, or work specifically within the City Attorney's Office.
A new Chapter 19 of the Iowa Code was added when the legislature passed and the
governor signed House File 856.
Staffing discussion:
Prior to the law change, the City Attorney's Office was staffed by 5.62 FTEs. The breakout
included:
2.62 Attorneys
1 Civil Rights Specialist
Paralegal
Legal Administrative Assistant
The language of the new law excludes from the definition of prohibited DEI offices those
offices staffed exclusively by attorneys, paralegals, and secretarial support.
As the Civil Rights Specialist position was a non -attorney, non-support staff position, it
could not be maintained in the City Attorney's Office without falling within the definition of
a prohibited DEI office. The Civil Rights Specialist position was eliminated effective
August 8, 2025.
Proposal:
OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY DUBUQUE, IOWA
SUITE 330, HARBOR VIEW PLACE, 300 MAIN STREET DUBUQUE, IA 52001-6944
TELEPHONE (563) 589-4381 / FAx (563) 583-1040 / EMAIL cbrumwel@cityofdubuque.org
Page 634 of 1171
As you know the City Attorney's Office has requested an additional attorney during the
last two (2) budget cycles. As we are down a Paralegal position and the state law has
resulted in elimination of the Civil Rights Specialist position, I am seeking authorization
for a larger restructuring of the City Attorney's Office.
Prior personnel complement of 5.62 FTE:
City Attorney
Senior Counsel
Assistant City Attorney II
Civil Rights Specialist (eliminated)
Paralegal (vacant)
Legal Administrative Assistant
Proposed personnel complement, 5.62 FTE:
City Attorney
Senior Counsel
Assistant City Attorney II
Assistant City Attorney I
Lead Administrative Support Professional
Administrative Support Professional
Elimination of the Civil Rights Specialist and creation of an Assistant City Attorney I
position achieves compliance with Iowa Code Chapter 19 and creates additional capacity
for legal work within the City Attorney's Office.
Reclassification of the Paralegal position to Lead Administrative Support Professional is
consistent with the duties that would be expected within the office; Joni Medinger would
take on this position and recruitment for an Administrative Support Professional would be
planned for after a new attorney was on -boarded, approximately mid -fiscal year.
Both Paralegal and Civil Rights Specialist were classified on the wage plan as NB11 but
the actual individuals in the positions were at different steps. The Civil Rights Specialist
NB11 position will be replaced with Assistant City Attorney I at NB15, Step 1. The
Paralegal NB11 position will become a Lead Administrative Support Professional NB09,
Step 3. The Legal Administrative Assistant NB08, Step 4 will become an Administrative
Support Professional NB07, Step 1.
The steps for each salary grade are included below.
SALARY
GRADE
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5
STEP 6
NB15 Hourly
40.19
S 42.42
S 44.65
S 47.28
S 49.90
S 52.53
Bi-weekly
S 3,215.20
S 3,393.60
S 3,572.00
S 3,782.40
S 3,992.00
S 4.202.40
Annually
S 83,595.20
S 88,233.60
S 92,872.00
S 98,342.40
S 103,792.00
S 109.262.40
2
Page 635 of 1171
SALARY
GRADE
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5
STEP 6
NB11 Hourly
S 30.35
S 32.03
S 33.72
S 35.71
S 37.69
S 39.68
Bt-weekly
S 2,428.00
S 2,562.40
S 2,697.60
S 2,856.80
S 3,015.20
S 3,174.40
Annually
S 63,128.00
S 66,622.40
S 70,137.60
S 74,276.80
S 78,395.20
S 82.534.40
SALARY
GRADE
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5
STEP 6
N1309 Hourly
S 27.22
S 28.74
S 30.25
S 32.03
S 33.80
S 35.59
BE -weekly
S 2,177.60
S 2,299.20
S 2,420.00
S 2,562.40
S 2,704.00
S 2.847.20
Annually
S 56,617.60
S 59,779.20
S 62,920.00
S 66,622.40
S 70,304.00
S 74.027.20
N1308 Hourly S 25.20 S 26.60 S 28.01 S 29.65 S 31.30 S 32.95
BF -weekly S 2,016.00 S 2,128.00 S 2,240.80 S 2,372.00 S 2,504.00 S 2.636.00
Annually S 52,416.00 S 55,328.00 S 58,260.80 S 61,672.00 S 65,104.00 S 68.536.00
NB07 Hourly S 23.29 $ 24.59 S 25.88 S 27.40 S 28.92 S 30.45
Bi-weekly S 1,863.20 $ 1,967.20 S 2,070.40 S 2,192.00 S 2,313.60 S 2A36.00
Annually S 48,443.20 S 51,147.20 S 53,830.40 S 56,992.00 S 60,153.60 S 63.336.00
A salary comparison for the proposed changes in the City Attorney's Office personnel
complement would look like:
Position
Current Salary
Expenditure
Proposed Salary Expenditure
Assistant City Attorney 1
$0
$83,595.20
Civil Rights Specialist
$77,814.31
$0
Paralegal
$81,617.55
$0
Lead Administrative
Support Professional
$0
$62,920
Legal Administrative
Assistant
$61,672
$0
Administrative Support
Professional
$0
$48,443.20
Total Salary Expenditure
$221,103.86
$194,958.40
Initial Savings with
Reorganization
$0
$26,145.46
The figures above are for an entire fiscal year. We will not spend these totals in FY26
as each position will be filled for a different length of time during the fiscal year. After a
6-month probationary period the Assistant City Attorney I and Administrative Support
3
Page 636 of 1171
Professional would be eligible for Step Increases for an additional $7,342.40, bringing
the ultimate savings to the organization from this restructuring to $18,803.06.
I respectfully request your permission and approval of this restructuring plan.
0
Page 637 of 1171