SAN DIEGO -- Mayor Dick Murphy said Tuesday that he feels an obligation to do what he can to keep the San Diego Chargers in town, but noted there is little public support for using city money for a new stadium.

In outlining what the city has done in relation to the Chargers in recent weeks, Murphy also publicly identified the members of the city's "informal working group" trying to keep the football team in San Diego.

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The Chargers have let it be known that the team wants a new stadium.

Following the Chargers' announcement earlier this month that the team's practice facility would be moved to the Los Angeles area, speculation has been rampant that the team will try to move there entirely when a contract clause opens up in a few years.

Murphy said he has met with Chargers President Dean Spanos three times since he became mayor -- in April 2001, this past February and again in April.

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After the latest meeting with Spanos, the Chargers executive sent Murphy (pictured, right) a letter asking to meet with representatives of the city to discuss the franchise's future.

"I assembled an informal working group to evaluate the city's options relative to the Chargers," Murphy said.

The group consists of Assistant City Attorney Les Girard, Deputy City Manager Bruce Herring, sports franchise attorney Paul Jacob, sports facility consultant Dan Barrett and "members of my staff," Murphy said.

He said those are the same people who have worked with him on the ballpark project.

Attorney Mike Aguirre filed a lawsuit Friday to stop what he called "secret meetings" between city officials and the Chargers about the construction of a new stadium for the NFL team.

He also called a news conference this morning at City Hall to say that Murphy has done "a major flip-flop" on the Chargers issue.

He said that Murphy, when running for mayor, said he was opposed to using public funds for a new stadium for the Chargers. Murphy has told reporters in recent weeks that he won't rule that out.

At the council meeting, Murphy said he wanted to summarize "what has and has not transpired." He noted the goings-on in Los Angeles "could impact the San Diego Chargers."

"As mayor, I believe I have an obligation to do what I can to keep the Chargers in San Diego," Murphy said. "On the other hand, I don't believe San Diegans want to spend public money to build a new stadium. I do believe they would be disappointed if the Chargers left town."

The Chargers have a contract to play their games at publicly owned Qualcomm Stadium through 2020. But a clause would allow owner Alex Spanos to "shop" the team to other cities in 2004 if the team exceeds certain National Football League salary restrictions.

The contract also includes a controversial ticket guarantee that has so far cost taxpayers $25.3 million since 1997.

"As I have said on a number of occasions, in my opinion the agreement the city of San Diego and the Chargers entered into in 1995 contains several provisions which were not a good deal for the city," Murphy said.

Murphy said Aguirre's statement accusing the city of secretly negotiating with the Chargers to extend the ticket guarantee was "false and was made with reckless disregard for the truth."

As for the lawsuit alleging Brown Act violations, Murphy said, "Those allegations are false, and his lawsuit is frivolous."

Aguirre claims city officials violated the Brown Act by convening in private with representative from the Chargers.

Under the Brown Act, citizens are entitled to monitor and participate in policy development, the attorney said.

Murphy had acknowledged the existence of a group trying to keep the football team in San Diego, but previously declined to say who it included.