Agenda Item No: P.10
AGENDA REPORT
DATE: June 17, 2025
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: David Gassaway, City Manager
SUBJECT: Resolution 2025-117 CM Budget Adjustment for Legal Services
Approving Supplemental Appropriation for Legal Services for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 and Authorizing an Update to the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Budget
Funding Source: $100,000; General Fund
Contact: David Gassaway, (707) 428-7400
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Adopt resolution.
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
The City Manager’s Office (CMO) pays for city -wide legal fees provided by Richards, Watson & Gershon (RWG), which are billed as a monthly retainer , and for additional specialized legal services, or additional charges, above the retainer. Due to an increase in legal services for fiscal year (FY) 2024 -2025 for cannabis permitting and the Solano Orderly Growth appeal, additional funds need to be added to the CM O budget to pay for legal services. Adoption of the proposed resolution amends and updates the FY 2024-2025 budget for CMO legal fees by the amount of $100,000.
DISCUSSION
At the beginning of FY 2024 -2025, $997,380 was allocated in the CMO budget to pay f or legal services provided by RWG. These funds were allocated as $68,115 per month for the monthly retainer and $15,000 per month for specialized/additional legal services, for a total amount of $83,115 per month, or $997,380 for FY 2024-2025.
Due to several significant matters requiring continued legal consultation for cannabis permitting and the Solano Orderly Growth appeal, total legal services for FY 2024-2025 have exceeded CMO budget and are estimated to be $1,097,380. This is $100,000 over the CMO’s legal fees budget, and a budget update is needed to pay for these additional services.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The total cost for the additional legal services for FY 2024 -2035 is $100,000. This exceeds the approved FY 2024-2025 budget and requires a budget adjustment to increase appropriations to the General Fund for CMO.
PUBLIC CONTACT/ADVISORY BODY RECOMMENDATION
N/A
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
The council may choose not to approve this resolution, which would require staff to seek additional funding in other areas to pay for these services.
COORDINATED WITH
N/A
STAFF CONTACT
David Gassaway, City Manager
(707) 428-7401
[email protected]
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 2: Proposed Resolution