HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.4 City Atty Resignation
C~TY Cl[ER~
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AGE~DA STATEME~r
C~TY COU~C~l MEEr~~G DATE JaruJJary 15,2008
SUBJECT
A 1'1' ACHMENl'S
RECOMMENDA1I'IO~1
Acceptance of ResIgnation of City Attorney, Appomtment of New
City Attorney and Assistant City Attorney, Correspondmg
Amendment to Agreement for Legal Services Report prepared by
ElIzabeth H Sliver, City Attorney
1
Agreement for Legal ServIces, as amended by mnth
amendment
Letter to CouncIl from Elizabeth H Stlver, dated January 8,
2008
Proposed Agreement for Legal Services, dated January 15,
2008
Copy of Government Code sectIOns 41801, 41802, 41803
and 41803 5
ResolutIOn acceptmg resignatIOn of Ehzabeth H Silver as
CIty Attorney, appomtmg John D Bakker as City Attorney,
appomtmg ElIzabeth H SIlver as ASSIstant City Attorney,
and approvmg the Agreement for Legal Services, dated
January 15, 2008
2
3
4,
5
Adopt Resolullon acceptmg resignatIOn of ElIzabeth H
Silver as City Attorney, appomtmg John D Bakker as CIty
Attorney, appomtmg Ehzabeth H Silver as ASSIstant CIty
Attorney, and approvmg the Agreement for Legal Services
:!FINANCIAL 81' A TEMENT None There IS no change m the proposed Agreement for Legal
ServIces (Attachment 3) to the CIty Attorney's rates
DESCRIPTION ElIzabeth H Sliver worked WIth MIchael Nave, the CIty'S first CIty
Attorney, In provldmg legal services to the City from shortly after the City'S mcorporatlOll m 1982, and
she was Actmg City Attorney from September 11, 1989 until she was appomted City Attorney on July 1,
1990 The CIty'S legall'5Sues have mcreased both III volume and m compleXity over the years as the CIty
co JPY TO
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page I of2
JITEM NO ~ .*
c.--
has grown Smce January, 2001, John Bakker has assisted Ms SIlver III providIng legal advice to the CIty
and, 10 July 2004, the Council appomted Mr Bakker as the Assistant City Attorney Mr Bakker has
worked closely wIth Staff, commiSSIOns and the CouncIl smce then
The CIty contracts With Ms SIlver and Mr Bakker's law firm - Meyers, Nave, RIback, Silver & WIIson-
for legal servIces The Agreement for Legal Services was last amended by the eIghth amendment,
effective July 1, 2007 (Attachment 1) The Agreement for Legal Services speCifies that Ms SlIver WIll be
the CIty Attorney
Ms Silver has decided to scale back her work and has asked the CouncIl to accept her resIgnatIon as the
CIty Attorney, effectIve February 29,2008, and to appoIllt Mr Bakker as the CIty Attorney, effective
March 1,2008 (Attachment 2) She also suggests that the CouncIl desIgnate her as the ASSistant City
Attorney to ensure contlOUlty She Will contIllue to work part-tIme through the end of 2009 and Will be
able to assist the Council and the CIty staff dunng that time on a regular baSIS as the AssIstant CIty
Attorney She Illtends to be aVailable to the CIty after that on an as-needed basIs
Mr Bakker IS a pnnclpal With Meyers, Nave, RIback, Silver & WIlson He has been practIcmg law Since
1998 He has worked wIth CItIes and speCIal dlstncts hiS entIre legal career He has adVIsed the Plannmg
CommlsslOn, CIty staff and the CouncIl, III Ms Silver's absence, SInce 2004 He has worked extensively
wIth the Commumty Development Department and PublIc Works Department Staff on most of the
development projects He has extensive expenence wIth land use law, ProposItIOn 218 and
telecommUnicatIons and cable Issues
Ifthe Council adopts the attached resolutIOn (Attachment 5), Ms Silver's resignatIOn Will be effective on
February 29,2008, and Mr Bakker's appoIlltment as CIty Attorney and Ms SIlver's appomtment as
ASSistant CIty Attorney would be effectIve on March 1, 200g Staff proposes that a revIsed legal services
agreement be approved, rather than amendmg the eXlstmg Agreement for Legal Services, whIch has
already bcen amended nme tImes Thus, the proposed resolutIOn would approve a restated Agreement for
Legal ServIces to name Mr Bakker as the City Attorney There are a few other mmor changes from the
eXistmg legal servIces agreement (Attachment 1) Paragraph 5 IS deleted, it proVides for Ms SIlver's
partiCipatIon III the PublIc Employees' Retirement System The PERS law has changed smce Ms SlIver's
appoIlltment, and It IS no longer pOSSIble for a contract City attorney to become a member ofPERS
Paragraph 7 is also deleted, It proVIdes for reimbursement lfthe City Attomeypartlclpates In profeSSional
actiVItIes, such as meetmgs of the CIty Attorneys' Department of the League ofCahfornIa CItIes
Although Ms Silver does attend such meetmgs, her law firm has never asked the CIty to reImburse It for
such costs Fmally, paragraph 8 IS reVIsed to reqUire mcreased malpractice Insurance coverage, the
agreement currently reqUIres $200,000 per person and $600,000 per occurrence These amounts are
reVised to $1 ,000,000 per person and $2,000,000 per occurrence, whIch are more III IIlle wIth current
practIce Attachment 4 mcludes the Government Code sections referenced m the agreement
R.ECOMMENDA TKON The CIty Attorney recommends that the CounCIl adopt the resolutIon
acceptmg the reSIgnatIon of Ehzabeth H SlIver as City Attorney, appoIlltmg John D Bakker as City
Attorney, appomtmg Elizabeth H Silver as ASSistant City Attorney, and approvIllg the Agreement for
Legal ServIces, dated January 15 (Attachment 5),
10448431 1141001
IUOJf)
NINTH AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT,FOR LEGAL SERVICES
Tlns Nmth Amendment to Agreement for Legal SeI'Vlces IS made and entered mto as of
July 1, 2007, by and between the CITY OF DUBLIN, a Muruclpal CorporatIOn In the State of
CalIfornIa, heremafter referred to as "CITY" and MEYERS, NAVE, RIBACK, Sn.VER &
WILSON, heremafter referred to as "MNRSW"
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, CITY and MEYERS, NA VB, RIBACK. SIL VBR & WILSON are partles to
an Agreement for legal ServIces, dated and entered mto as of July 1, 1998, and
WHEREAS, CITY and MEYERS, NAVE, RIBACK. SIL VBR & WILSON are parhes to
the FIrst Amendment to Agreement for Legal ServIces, dated June 15, 1999, and
WHEREAS, CITY and MEYERS, NAVE, RlBACK, SILVER & WILSON are partIes to
the Second Amendment to Agreement for Legal Services, dated July 1,2000, and
WHEREAS, CITY and MEYERS, NAVE, RlBACK, SlL VER & WILSON are partieS to
the Thud Amendment to Agreement for Legal ServIces, dated July 1, 2001, and
WHEREAS, CITY and MEYERS, NA VB, RIBACK, SILVER & WILSON are partIes to
the Fourth Amendment to Agreement for Legal Services, dated July 1,2002, and
WHEREAS, CITY and MEYERS, NAVE, RlBACK" SILVER & WILSON are parties to
the Fifth Amendment to Agreement for Legal Services, dated July 1, 2003, and
WHEREAS, CITY and MEYERS, NAVE, RIBACK, SILVER & Wll.,SON are parties to
the SIXth Amendment to Agreement for Legal ServIces, dated July 1, 2004, and
WHEREAS, CITY and MEYERS, NAVE, RlBACK, SILVER & WILSON are partles to
the Seventh Amendment to Agreement for Legal ServIces, dated September 1,2005, and
WHEREAS, CITY and MEYERS, NAVE, RIBACK, SILVER & WILSON are partIes to
the Eighth Amendment to Agreement for Legal ServIces, dated July 1, 2006, and
WHEREAS, It IS the deSIre of the partIes hereto to amend the agreement,
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS MUTUALLY AGREED that the Agreement for Legal
SeI'Vlces IS amended as follows
Nmth Amendment to Agreement for Legal SefVlces
(Between Dublin and MNRSW)
Page 1 of 2
/-10 -() ~ g- i
ATTACHMENT 1
200 LV
1 EXlstIllg paragraph 4 IS deleted and new paragraph 4 IS added, to read as follows
"4 CompensatIOn
City shall compensate ATTORNEY, through MNRSW, In the amount of
$200 per hour for all services rendered, whether by ATTORNEY or by other
attorneys assocIated With MNRSW, Wlth the folloWIllg exceptIons (a) lItIgatIon,
for wlnch ATTORNEY, through MNRSW, shall be compensated III the amount of
$240 per hour for all litIgatIon servIces rendered whether by ATTORNEY or other
attorneys In her finn. and (b) work for which the CIty IS reImbursed by thud
parties, for which ATTORNEY, through MNRSW, shall be compensated at the
rate of $240 per hour for all servIces rendered whether by ATTORNEY or other
attorneys III her firm :MNRSW wIll also be reImbursed for customary costs and
dtsbursements, Includmg deposItIon and WItness fees, Court costs, telephone,
photocopymg, facsImIle charges, computer research on-Ime fees and messenger
servIces ATTORNEY, through MNRSW, shall bIll CITY at least on a monthly
basIS and CITY agrees to pay ATTORNEY WithIn 30 days of such bIll or
statement II
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the partIes have executed tlus Ninth Amendment to
Agreement for Legal ServIces the day and year set forth below
CITY OF DUBLIN
A MunICIpal CorporatIon
,,,
Dated
7/jl/07
. I
By
Cut I {;I
CIty Clerk J Ocflvlj
Attest
MEYERS, NA VB, RlBACK, SILVER & WILSON
Dated
b!;g/01
I
By~~ -C--
" zabeth H Silver
-=--....
97988U DOC;114 1001
Nmth Amendment to Agreement for Legal SelVlces
(Between Dublm and MNRSW)
Page 2 of 2
RlllI eve Jl' $1 ~ !OJ "e nbock sliver & wilson
professlonlll 11Iw [OrpOfllllon
')'fJ to
Elizabeth H Sliver
Attorney at Law
5108082000
January 8,2008
Honorable Mayor and Councllmembers
City of Dublin
100 CIVIC Plaza
Dublin, CA 94568
Dear Mayor and Councllmembers
I began practicing law In 1974 aOO got my first taste of mumclpallaw In 1975 when I was hIred as
an assistant CIty attorney for a City In 1he cen1ral valley That began my love of mUnicIpal law I
have fel1 very fortunate to have found an area of the law that I truly enJoy and find rewarding My
Involvement with Du blln began shortly after the City's incorporatIon In 1982 when I began assisting
the City'S first CIty Attorney, MJchael Nave, on a part.1lme basIs I became more Involved With
Dublin and was appointed Acting City Attorney on September 11, 1989 and City Attorney on July 1,
1990
As you well know, the City'S legal Issues have Increased both In volume and compleXity over the
years as the City has grown Although other attomeys from my law firm have always assisted me,
sInce January, 2001, John Bakker has played a key role In helping me provide Dublm With sound
legal adVice and, In July 2004, the Council appointed Mr Bakker as the ASSistant CIty Attorney
John has worked closely With Staff, commiSSIons and the Council since then
I have deCided to reduce my legal practice and work only half time, begmnlng thiS month I
anticipate working half~tlme though the end of 2009 I plan to spend more bme With my family,
which Includes my first grandchild, and to travel I do not believe I can be the City Attorney wnlle
practicing law part time and would, thus, ask the CounCil to accept my resignation as the CIty
Attorney, effective February 29 2008
I have the utmost confidence In John Bakker and belIeve the CIty CounCil has an eminently
qualified successor who Will continue to prOVide the same kind of legal adVice thall have proVided
I beheve the City has been well served by the continUity and stabIlity It has had With Its long time
City Manager and With the lengthy service that I and my law firm have proVided to the City It IS not
only for thiS reason but because he IS so well qualified 1hat I recommend that the CounCil appoint
John Bakker as the CIty Attorney, effective March 1 2008 I would also suggest that 1he CounCIl
deSignate me as the ASSistant City Attorney to ensure continUity for the two years that I plan to
work on a part time basiS FollOWing my retirement at the end of 2009, I Intend to be aVailable to
the City on an as-needed baSIS
5i5121h Streel, S!lrtu 1500 I Oakland Callfornm 94&07 I Ie] 510 aoB 2000 I fax 510.444 n08 I www meyersnave com
OAKLAND" SAN LEANDRO" SANTA ROSA" SACRAMENTO. SAN FRANC
ATTACHMENT 2
Honorable Mayor and Councllmembers
January a 2007
Page 2
'11J1lJ
John IS a pnnclpal WIth Meyers, Nave, Rlback Silver & Wilson He has been pracbcmg law Since
1998 He has worked With CIties and special dlstncts his entire legal caree r He has adVised the
Planmng Commission, CIty staff and the Council He has worked extensively With the Commumty
Development Department and Pubhc Works Department Staff on almost all of the applicatlons for
land use entitlements He has extensIVe expenence not only With land use law but with Proposition
218 and With telecommunlcabons and cable Issues
I have greaUy appreciated the opportUnity to serve as Dublin's CIty Attorney I have enjoyed
working With the Council and With all oftha City Staff, Includmg Richard Ambrose, who has been
the CIty Manager for my entire tenure With Dublin I thank the Council for glvmg me thiS
opportunity
Very truly yours,
it 'Wr ~/ 1M--'
Elizabeth H Silver
EHS rkb
lD4360~_l DCC 1141001
5'fJ /iJ
AGREEMENT FOR
LEGAL SERVICES
This Agreement, made and entered Into as of January 15, 2008, by and between the CITY OF
DUBLIN, a Municipal Corporation In the State of California, heremafter referred to as "CITY" and MEYERS,
NA VE, RIBACK, SILVER & WILSON, a professional law corporation heremafter referred to as "MNRSW"
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, JOHN D BAKKER IS a member of the law firm of MNRSW
WHEREAS, CITY and MNRSW are parties to an agreement dated July 1, 1998, entItled
"Agreement for Legal Services", and
WHEREAS, Said "Agreement for Legal Services" has been amended nine times on June 15, 1999,
July 1, 2000, July 1, 2001, July 1, 2002, July 1, 2003 July 1, 2004 September 1, 2005, July 1, 2006 and
July 2,2007, respectively, and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to mak.e certain amendments to the "Agreement for Legal Services"
as amended, and
WHEREAS, the purpose of thiS agreement IS to restate the "Agreement for Legal Services" as
amended and mak.e certain changes, and
WHEREAS It IS the desire of the parties hereto to enter thiS agreement and establish the terms
and conditions for rendition of legal services to the CITY OF DUBLIN and the compensation therefore,
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS MUTUALLY AGREED as follows
1 ApPointment of City Attorney
CITY hereby retains JOHN 0 BAKKER hereinafter referred to as "ATTORNEY," as City
Attorney for the CITY OF DUBLIN and ATTORNEY agrees to faIthfully represent the legal Interests of CITY
dunng the term of thiS agreement
2 ATTORNEY's ServIces
ATTORNEY shall proVide through his own services and those of such other attorneys of
MNRSW, as he shall determine, all legal services usually and normally provided by city attorneys, and
specifically those duties and services described In Government Code Sections 41801 41802, 41803 and
41803 5 Such services shalllncl ude, but not be limited to
Legal Services Agreement
(Between Dublin and MNRSW)
Page 1 of 4
ATl'ACHMENT 3
&~ LV
a Attendance at City Council and Planning Commission meetings,
b Preparation of ordinances, resolutions, leases, contracts or other legal
documents,
C Preparation of all findings decIsions or other documents pertaining to legIslative
or quasI JudIcial actions or decIsions made by the City Council, boards, commissions or officers,
d Rendenng legal advIce (both oral and wntten) to members of the City Council,
commiSSions, boards, and to the City Manager, department heads and employees with respect to City
matters,
e Negotiating and/or rendenng advice with respect to negotIatIons pertaining to
CIty's contracts, leases and memoranda of understanding,
f Representing City In litigatIon and/or arbitration or other Judicial, administratIVe or
q u aSI-jud IClal proceed Ings,
g Furnishing legal services for assessment district or bond proceedings and
h Furnishing legal services for the redevelopment agency parking authonty or other
agencies or entities which are not operated as an Integral part of City, but which are or may be created by
City as Independent agencies
3 Independent Contractor
ATTORNEY shall proVide legal services to CITY as an Independent contractor, With
control over his offices, hours, support staff and other matters except as prOVided herein
4 Compensation
City shall compensate ATTORNEY, through MNRSW, In the amount of $200 per hour for
all services rendered whether by ATTORNEY or by other attorneys assOCiated With MNRSW With the
fOllowmg exceptions (a) litigation, for which ATTORNEY through MNRSW, shall be compensated In the
amount of $240 per hour for all litIgation services rendered whether by ATTORN EY or other attorneys In
her firm and (b) work for which the CIty IS reimbursed by thIrd partIes, for whIch ATTORNEY, through
MNRSW, shall be compensated at the rate of $240 per hour for all services rendered whether by
ATTORNEY or other attorneys In her firm MNRSW Will also be reimbursed for customary costs and
dIsbursements, Including depOSition and witness fees, court costs telephone, photOCOPYing faCSimile
charges, computer research on-line fees and messenger services ATTORNEY, through MNRSW, shall
bill CITY at least on a monthly baSIS and CITY agrees to pay ATTORNEY wlthm 30 days of such bill or
statement
Legal Services Agreement
(Between Dublin and MNRSW)
Page 2 of 4
~fJ to
5 No Asslqnment
ThlS Agreement IS entered Into by CITY and MNRSW and, except as set forth herein the
nghts and obligations of ATTORNEY may not be assigned or delegated to any other attorney of MNRSW
without express wntten consent of the City Council This Agreement IS not assignable
6 Insurance
ATTORNEY agrees, through MNRSW, to cany malpractice Insurance In full force and
effect dUring the term of this agreement In an amount not less than $200000 per person and $600,000 per
occurrence
7 Insurance
ATTORNEY agrees, through MNRSW, to carry malpractice Insurance In full force and
effect dUring the term of this agreement In an amount not less than $1,000,000 (one mllhon dollars) per
person and $2 000 000 (two million dollars) per occurrence
8 Annual ReView
Annually, dUring the month of February, ATTORNEY and Council shall meet to review the
performance of ATTORNEY and members or associates of hiS firm In furnishing the services prOVided
hereunder, and to reVlew the compensation proVISions hereof The parties may agree to changes or
amendments hereto, mcludlng, but not hmlted to changes In compensation proVISions, which changes or
amendments shall be eVidenced by wntten amendment hereto
9 Term
ThiS Agreement shall be termmable by CITY at Will and by ATTORNEY upon 30 days'
wntten nolice
10 Effective Date
ThiS Agreement shall be effective March 1,2008
11 Supersession of Pnor Aqreements
ThiS Agreement shall supersede the Agreement for Legal Services, dated July 1, 1998, as
amended
Legal Services Agreement
(Between Dublin and MNRSW)
Page 3 of 4
S1J I/)
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement for Legal Services the day
and year set forth below
CITY OF DUBLIN
A MUnicipal Corporation
Dated
By
Janet Lockhart Mayor
Attest
CIty Clerk
MEYERS, NAVE, RIBACK, SILVER & WILSON
Dated
By
Jayne W Williams Managing Principal
1046229 1 114 1001
legal Services Agreement
(Between Dublin and MNRSW)
Page 4 of 4
qo/J It)
Cal~forn~a Government Code
Sect~on 41801 The c~ty attorney shall adv~se the c~ty off~c~als ~n
all legal matters perta~n~ng to c~ty bus~ness
Sect~on 41802 He shall frame all ord~nances and resolut~ons requ~red
by the leg~slat~ve body
Sectlon 41803 He shall perform other legal serv~ces requlred from
tlme to tlme by the leglslatlve body
Sectlon 41803 5 {a} Wlth the consent of the dlstr~ct attorney of the
county the Clty attorney of any general law c~ty or chartered c~ty
wlthln the county may prosecute any mlsdemeanor commltted wlthln the
c~ty arlslng out of vlolatlon of state law Thls sectlon shall not
be deemed to affect any of the provlslons of Sectlon 72193
(b) In any case ln wh~ch the d~strlct attorney ~s granted any
powers or access to lnformatlon w~th regard to the prosecutlon of
m~sdemeanors, thlS grant of powers or access to lnformatlon shall be
deemed to apply to any other offlcer charged wlth the duty of
prosecutlng mlsdemeanor charges In the state as authorlzed by law
ATTACHMENT 4
RESOLUTION NO
IOf; I (J
A RESOLUTION OlF' THE CITY COUNCIL
OlF THE CITY OlF DUBLIN
*********
ACCEPTING THE RESIGNATION OF ELIZABETH H SILVER AS CITY ATTORNEY,
APPOINTING J ORN D BAKKER AS CITY ATTORNEY AND ELIZABETH H SILVER AS
ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, AND APPROVING AGREEMENT FOR LEGAL SERVICES
WHEREAS, ElIzabeth H Silver was Actmg City Attorney from September 11, 1989 until June
30, 1990 and was appOInted City Attorney on July 1, 1990, and
WHEREAS, John 0 Bakker has aSSIsted Ms Silver m provIdmg legal adVice to the City SInce
2001 and has been Assistant CIty Attorney SInce July 2004, and
WHEREAS, the City contracts wIth Ms Silver and Mr Bakker's law firm - Meyers, Nave,
Riback, SIlver & WIlson - for legal services and the current Agreement for Legal Services was last
amended by the eIghth amendment, effective July 1, 2007, and
WHEREAS, Ms StIver has deCIded to scale back her work to half-time through the end of2009
and has asked the CouncIl to accept her resignation as the CIty Attorney, effective February 29,2008,
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the CIty Council (l) accepts the reSIgnatIon of
Elizabeth H SlIver as City Attorney, effective February 29,2008, appomts John D Bakker as City
Attorney, effectIve March 1, 2008, appomts ElIzabeth H StIver as ASSistant City Attorney, effectIve
March 1,2008, and approves the Agreement for Legal Services, dated January 15,2008 and authonzes
and directs the Mayor to SIgn the agreement
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED thiS 15 day of January, 2008, by the followIllg vote
AYES
NOES
ABSENT
ABSTAIN
"
MAYOR
ATTEST
CITY CLERK
A '][1' ACHMENT 5