City Council Meeting: June 30,
2009
Agenda Item: 1-D
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Marsha Jones Moutrie, City Attorney
Subject: Contracts for Legal Services
Recommended
Action
Staff recommends that the City
Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute lawyer-client retainer agreements
with Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo (Atkinson) Law Firm for legal
services in an amount not to exceed $100,000, and
with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore (Liebert) for legal services in an amount not to
exceed $140,000, both for the fiscal year 2009-2010.
Executive
Summary
The City uses the services of outside legal
counsel for assistance with labor and employment law with regard to workplace
investigations, training, Personnel Board Hearings and litigation. Staff
recommends that City Council approve a contract with Atkinson in a
not-to-exceed amount of $100,000 and a contract with Liebert in a not-to- exceed
amount of $140,000.
Discussion
Atkinson and Liebert both provide labor and
employment legal services with regard to employee disciplinary matters, which
includes workplace investigations, Personnel Board Hearings, litigation,
labor law related training, and preparation of legal reports. The Human Resources Department coordinates
training workshops by the firms, and the City Attorney’s Office monitors
their legal work. The not-to-exceed amounts proposed in this
report reflect payments made to the two firms for services rendered in fiscal
2008-2009. Staff anticipates that
service needs will remain constant.
Both of these firms specialize in personnel
work for public entities, and both have provided services to the City for
several years. Staff anticipates issuing
a Request for Proposals next year to competitively assess the City's current
options for obtaining this service.
Financial Impacts &
Budget Actions
Total expenditures for the agreement with
Atkinson are not expected to exceed $100,000 for fiscal year 2009-10. Total
expenditures for the contract with Liebert are not expected to exceed
$140,000. Actual costs will be charged
to the appropriate Department as services are rendered.
Prepared by: Marsha Jones
Moutrie, City Attorney
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Approved: |
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Forwarded to Council: |
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Marsha
Jones Moutrie City
Attorney |
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City Manager |