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CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) The cost of attorney fees has reached ,000 for the Valley City school district after the board hired a law firm to represent them during the impasse.

School Board President Joyce Braunagel says it was necessary for the board being none of us had any experience dealing with an impasse.

On February 12 the Valley City Education Association filed a lawsuit against the school district on the health insurance section of their negotiated agreement.

Braunagel says once the lawsuit is active the school district’s insurance will cover further legal representation.

The school board is being represented by attorney Rachel Bruner-Kaufman of the Pearce & Durick law firm in Bismarck.

And the Valley City Education Association is being represented by attorney Michael Geiermann with the state teachers union called North Dakota United. The money for those services is covered by teachers paying a yearly union due.