Vice Mayor Ray Luna said his concern centered on whether the billing was current or for future expenses. Macias said the billing reflected services rendered for June 2001.If the accounting was bringing the council current from the July report was questioned by Councilman John Procter, and Macias said it was; in all the city’s cost has been about $484,000 for legal costs with the insurance paying an additional $100,000. The total for legal and related costs is now about $584,000.Councilwoman Laura Flores Espinosa fretted over pulling funds from reserves for ongoing DOJ legal fees. She questioned the level of reserves and said the council wants to be “as informed as we can. . .”Ultimately the council split 4-1, Espinosa cast the lone no vote, to pay the billing from reserves.The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Santa Paula in April 2000, alleging its citywide, at-large method favors whites while diluting the Latino vote and demanded that the city convert to five voting districts to ensure Latino representation.The council has met behind closed doors several times in the last few weeks to discuss negotiating a settlement of the lawsuit.