The Des Moines City Council voted 4 to 3 on March 23 to award $90,000 to four former city council members to cover legal fees they incurred while in office.

Mixed emotions laced with resentment towards former council members Richard Benjamin, Maggie Steenrod, Gary Petersen and former Mayor Don Wasson permeated council debate on the matter.

In the end, lawmakers decided to pay the legal fees -- a long-standing source of controversy -- and, they said, move Des Moines forward again.

Mayor Bob Sheckler and council members Dave Kaplan, Ed Pina and Carmen Scott voted to pay the legal fees.

Mayor Pro Tem Scott Thomasson and council members Dan Sherman and Susan White voted no.

Following a lengthy recess for an executive session, during which council members were expected to discuss whether to pay the fees or continue to challenge them, Kaplan introduced a motion with a stern voice to approve the $90,000 payment.

“The city and the city council need to move on,” said Kaplan. “The hell with which certain city officials has put the city though.”

He noted how the four former lawmakers negatively impacted the city and tainted the image of Des Moines.

Four years ago, Benjamin, Steenrod, Petersen, and Wasson were accused of violating the state’s Open Public Meetings Act when they held an illegally called special meeting to discuss the firing of former City Manager Bob Olander.

Citizens for Des Moines, an ad hoc committee opposed to that council’s actions, filed a lawsuit against the four-member majority.

A King County Superior Court judge subsequently dismissed the lawsuit.

A recall effort against the four council members in 2004 was also tossed out.

Current council members expressed strong emotions in voting for and against the monetary amount.

“The last four years have cost this city,” said White. “We’ve been paralyzed. Our staff has been demoralized.

“Out of principle for myself, I will not support it.”

“It’s not something I would have wanted to do,” Kaplan said.

Everything goes back to five years ago, he said.

Sheckler spent seven hours with a mediator prior to the meeting coming up with an acceptable number.

“My conclusion was to recommend this dollar amount,” Sheckler said. “It took a lot of soul searching to do it.”

The former council members had initially requested $150,000 to cover legal costs, said Sheckler.

Had the council not approved the motion, the city would then have to battle it out in court.

How Benjamin, Steenrod, Petersen and Wasson decide to split the $90,000 is up to them.

“We actually don’t care,” said Sheckler.

“The public does understand what this city needed,” said Sherman. He referred to the fact that none of the four council members in question are now serving on the council.

“Should this pass, at least anyone who has designs to wreak havoc in our city again should take notice,” Sherman said.