City taxpayers will cover an $11,000 attorney bill incurred by four Pittsburgh council members in their battle with Lamar Advertising if yesterday's first vote -- taken after a testy debate -- holds up in a final tally Tuesday.

Council President Doug Shields and members William Peduto, Bruce Kraus and Ricky Burgess had hired lawyer Hugh McGough, who billed for his work on a zoning challenge to a Lamar billboard permit and a civil suit by the sign firm against five members.

Councilman Patrick Dowd, who also challenged Lamar and paid a lawyer from his own pocket, said council shouldn't pay "after the fact" for an expense it never voted to authorize.

Mr. Shields noted that members are paid $56,405. "There were five members that felt strong enough to go to court," he said. "Mr. Dowd chose to do it as an individual and pay for it out of his own pocket. I'm not going to do that."

Councilwoman Darlene Harris joined the members who incurred the bill in voting to pay it. Jim Motznik and Dan Deasy voted no, while Mr. Dowd abstained and Tonya Payne was absent.

"This is highly unusual, and the normal process would be that we would talk about this before an attorney is hired," said Mr. Motznik.

"I was sued for $2 million," Mr. Peduto said. "And you're telling me I shouldn't hire a lawyer?"

Lamar got a permit in December to place a 1,200-square-foot electronic billboard on the front of the Grant Street Transportation Center. Legal wrangling ended with the firm agreeing to submit a new permit application that will go before the Zoning Board and the Planning Commission.

Lamar's civil suit alleging that council members conspired to revoke the permit, potentially costing the firm $2 million, is on hold, but not yet withdrawn.

The city has a Law Department with as many as 16 attorneys. Council typically relies on their expertise, but it has occasionally hired an outside lawyer when it has disagreed with the administration, which in this case initially backed the permit.