City Council
MEETING DATE: 12/9/2015
TITLE:
Title
Legal Services Contract
End
FROM:
Charlie McClendon, City Manager
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
The Council Subcommittee recommends the City Council approve a contract for Legal Services with Burke, Williams & Sorenson, LLP in the amount of $32,250 monthly.
Body
BACKGROUND:
In September, Council decided to issue a Request for Proposals seeking law firms to provide general legal services for the City. Thirteen responses were received. Based on the responses received, Council then selected five firms as finalists and conducted interviews with those firms during a special meeting on October 30, 2015. As a result of those interviews two firms were then selected for follow-up interviews, which were held on November 11, 2015. A Council subcommittee consisting of Mayor Henry and Mayor Pro Tem Pettis was then asked to negotiate a legal services agreement with the top rated firm, Burke, Williams & Sorenson.
DISCUSSION:
The subcommittee met on November 24, 2015 with Eric Vail, who will be designated in the contract as the City Attorney and with Erica Vega, who will service as Assistant City Attorney. An agreement was reached whereby the monthly retainer of $32,500 will cover the vast majority of general legal services required by the City. The amount was reached based on a review of recent legal bills incurred by the City. Items covered in the monthly retainer will include the following:
Municipal Corporate Matters
Attend City Council, Planning Commission and Architectural Review Subcommittee Mtgs. (includes strategic planning sessions and team building)
Attend Agenda Review Mtgs. (2x/month)
Review City Council, Planning Commission, and Architectural Review Subcommittee Agenda/Reports
Telephone calls with Mayor, City Council members, and City Manager and Executive Staff
Conflicts of Interest / Public Ethics advice (includes AB 1234 Training & Letters to FPPC)
In...
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