Item No. 14
Town of Atherton
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT – REGULAR AGENDA
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
GEORGE RODERICKS, CITY MANAGER
FROM: MONA EBRAHIMI, CITY ATTORNEY
DATE: JUNE 18, 2025
SUBJECT: CITY ATTORNEY PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND
APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO CITY ATTORNEY
CONTRACT
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Council review the staff report and consider adoption of the attached amendment to the Legal Services Agreement between the Town of Atherton and Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard (“City Attorney Contract”) addressing paralegal/document clerk rates and reimbursable rates.
BACKGROUND
The City Council met in closed session to evaluate the City Attorney, as it does each year.
Following the performance review, the City Council wishes to amend the legal services agreement to increase the paralegal/document rates and reimbursable rates.
ANALYSIS
The Town has a fixed retainer in the amount of $17,000 each month for city attorney services. Special projects are billed outside of the retainer, but the retainer generally encompasses all other work such as review of resolutions, ordinances, attendance at meetings, research projects, and so forth. Even with an increase in paralegal/document rates, the total retainer remains at $17,000 each month so there should not be a financial impact to the Town. If there is a special project for which the work is billed outside of the retainer, the Town would benefit from having a paralegal or document clerk assist with that project because their rates are lower than attorney’s.
This would result in changing the existing paralegal/document clerk rate to $200-220/hour.
The establishment of a reimbursable rate is also requested. Reimbursable rates are those that a third party must reimburse the Town for, so there is no financial impact to the Town. It is unlikely, but not impossible, for these rates to be used in the Town. The reimbursable rates for attorneys working on matters reimbursed by third parties will be $500-$550/hour.
City Attorney Agreement
JUNE 18, 2025
FISCAL IMPACT
The approval of this second amendment to the City Attorney's Contract will result in an increase in paralegal/document clerk rates to $200-$220/hour and the establishment of a reimbursable rate at $500-$550/hour. No other changes are being proposed.
GOAL ALIGNMENT
This Report and its contents are in alignment with the following Council Policy Goals:
• Goal D - Be Forward Thinking
POLICY FOCUS
This item is a discussion of amendments to the City Attorney’s Agreement for services with the Town.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notification was achieved by posting the agenda, with this agenda item being listed, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting in print and electronically. Information about the project is also disseminated via the Town’s electronic News Flash and Atherton Online. There are approximately 1,200 subscribers to the Town’s electronic News Flash publications. Subscribers include residents as well as stakeholders –to include, but be not limited to, media outlets, school districts, Menlo Park Fire Protection District, service provides (water, power, and sewer), and regional elected officials.
COMMISSION/COMMITTEE FEEDBACK/REFERRAL
This item has not been before a Town Committee or Commission
ATTACHMENTS
1. Amendment No. 2 to the Legal Services Agreement between the Town of Atherton and Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard