07/25/2018- Menominee County is preparing itself for potential litigation over unsigned airport leases. Tuesday, the board was asked to approve retaining Attorney Jeremy Nastoff should the disagreements about new lease terms between the county and some tenants lead to legal action. County Administrator Jason Carviou says he has the authority to spend up to $5000 for attorney services without board approval, but he is no longer comfortable negotiating lease terms without legal advice and he is seeking the board’s backing should the attorney’s services go beyond that $5000 threshold. Commissioner John Nelson felt the county should instead employ the services of the county’s Prosecutor’s Office, but others on the board noted the office’s six-month case backlog and a current lawsuit between the county and the Prosecutor means neither he nor the Assistant Prosecutor would likely be willing to take on the work. Carviou was uncertain how much the attorney fees could add up to while they work to resolve the issues with airport tenants. Eight hangar leases have yet to be returned. The board ultimately voted 8-1 to approve retaining Attorney Nastoff.