Savonlinna pays €106,000 in legal fees over mayor’s dismissal

Savonlinna has paid €106,000 in legal fees over the dismissal of city manager Janne Laine, Yle reported after reviewing costs linked to the dismissal of three municipal leaders.

Sysmä has incurred €76,000 in legal fees over the dismissal of municipal manager Marketta Kitkiöjoki. Luumäki resolved its dispute with municipal manager Risto Alaheikka through a settlement agreement, paying €7,800 in legal costs.

The administrative courts have overturned the dismissal decisions in all three municipalities. The process has been completed only in Luumäki.

Matti Muukkonen, a lecturer in public law at the University of Eastern Finland, described legal fees of more than €10,000 as high.

“The cost in Luumäki seems reasonable. I am surprised that this kind of matter has generated more than €10,000 in legal costs,” Muukkonen said.

Savonlinna’s legal costs have continued to mount

Savonlinna began preparing Laine’s dismissal in spring 2025. The city hired a former legal adviser to the Association of Finnish Municipalities, who was involved in the negotiations and was paid about €20,000.

The city council voted 36 to 7 to dismiss Laine in April 2025. Laine appealed to the Eastern Finland Administrative Court the following month.

In October 2025, the administrative court ruled that Savonlinna could seek a new city manager despite the appeal. In April 2026, however, the court overturned the dismissal because of procedural errors and inadequate consultation.

Savonlinna asked the Supreme Administrative Court for permission to appeal, but permission was denied. The administrative court’s decision therefore became legally binding.

In June, the city council appointed a new temporary committee to investigate the matter. In August, the committee was given more time after failing to complete its work during the summer.

Since the dismissal, a large law firm from eastern Finland with a framework agreement with the city has handled the case. The firm has billed the city almost continuously since late May 2025, with the latest invoice issued on June 30.

According to the invoices, the lawyer worked about 290 hours over just more than a year. Legal costs related to the administrative court proceedings amounted to €87,000.

Negotiations with the law firm have been led mainly by Tuukka Suomalainen, chair of the city board. He described the total as a large sum but said the legal assistance had been necessary for the city’s decision-makers.

“It is a large sum, and that money could have been used for many other things. However, it has been necessary help for the city’s decision-makers,” Suomalainen said.

He said the city monitors the costs rather than strictly controlling them, because legal advice has been essential. He also said the law firm was selected because the city was familiar with its expertise and understanding of this type of process.

Suomalainen said he was satisfied with the firm’s services, describing communication as direct and straightforward.

Savonlinna open to settling the dispute

Savonlinna has already appointed a new city manager, Ding Ma. A temporary committee is now investigating whether Laine still has the confidence of the city council.

The committee is expected to submit its report to the council in October. If the council decides to dismiss Laine again, the matter will probably return to the administrative court.

According to Suomalainen, the city would be willing to reach a settlement with Laine. He said Savonlinna had invited Laine to negotiations this year but had not received a response.

“We would like to resolve the matter quickly and then focus on issues that are constructive and move this community forward,” Suomalainen said.