DATE: January 18, 2022
TO: City Council
FROM: Mayor John Bauters
SUBJECT: Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Emeryville Approving A Legal Services Agreement With Jarvis Fay & Gibson, LLP, For Interim City Attorney Services
RECOMMENDATION
Approve by resolution the Legal Services Agreement with Jarvis Fay & Gibson, LLP for Interim City Attorney Services.
BACKGROUND
Following the resignation of the City Attorney early last spring, the City Council approved an agreement with Assistant City Attorney Andrea Visveshwara for the period of April 24, 2021 through October 31, 2021 which provided that she would act as Interim City Attorney during that time. That agreement was later extended through January 31, 2022, to accommodate the ongoing City Attorney recruitment process.
After six years with the City, including the last nine months as the Interim City Attorney, Assistant City Attorney Visveshwara will be leaving for other employment. The recruitment process for the City Attorney position is not yet complete, so the City needs to procure legal services from outside counsel until a new City Attorney is selected and hired.
Christie Crowl of Jarvis Fay & Gibson, LLP has advised the City on land use projects and California Environmental Quality Act issues over the past several years and has been advising the Planning Commission and Community Development Department for the past nine months. Her firm has also been retained frequently by the City of Emeryville as outside counsel to advise on a variety of other legal issues since 2014.
DISCUSSION
The proposed Legal Services Agreement (Exhibit A to the Resolution, “Agreement”) provides that Christie Crowl shall serve as the Interim City Attorney from February 1, 2022 through April 30, 2022. The Agreement also states that the City can terminate the Agreement at any time, including upon hiring and onboarding a new City Attorney. Finally, the Agreement provides for a potential extension upon approval by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Agreement provides that invoices from Jarvis Fay & Gibson, LLP shall not exceed a total of $126,000 for the three-month contract period.
CONCLUSION
I recommend approval of the Resolution attached hereto as Attachment 1.
APPROVED AND FORWARDED TO THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE:
________________________
Mayor John Bauters
Attachments:
1. Draft Resolution
Exhibit A: Legal Services Agreement
Legal Services Agreement for Interim City Attorney Services City Council Meeting | January 18, 2022
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City of Emeryville
CALIFORNIA
MEMORANDUM