Agenda Item #13.3
For Council Meeting of: April 7, 2026
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DOMINIQUE BLANQUIE, HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: FIRST AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT NUMBER F002773 WITH KRAMER WORKPLACE INVESTIGATIONS FOR CONTINUED LEGAL SERVICES AGENDA ACTION: MOTION
RECOMMENDATION
The Human Resources Department recommends that the Council, by motion: 1) approve the First Amendment to Professional Services Agreement Number F002773 with Kramer Workplace Investigations, a professional corporation, Danville, California, for continued employment-related workplace investigations and legal services by increasing compensation by $150,000, for a total contract amount not to exceed $250,000, amending the scope of services and increasing the hourly rate under the Agreement for services rendered since June 1, 2025; 2) authorize the City Attorney to execute the agreement; and 3) ratify $4,961 in payments erroneously made under the agreement for services rendered since June 1, 2025 at the updated rates in the proposed amendment rather than at the rates in original agreement. This item will not impact the general fund as services under this agreement will be paid for with appropriated funds in current and future fiscal year budgets.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City entered into Professional Services Agreement Number F002773 (Agreement) with Kramer Workplace Investigations, a professional corporation on March 5, 2024, to conduct employment-related workplace investigation and legal consulting services on an as-needed basis in an amount not to exceed $100,000. Human Resources is bringing this item forward to amend and increase compensation under the Agreement by adding $150,000 in compensation for continued legal services as well as increase the hourly rate of compensation for legal services provided starting June 1, 2025. In June 2025, the City and Consultant verbally agreed to an increase in hourly rates for new legal services starting June 1, 2025, after previous work was completed in July of 2024. Due to administrative errors, however, the amendment was never executed to update the hourly rates and the invoices were nevertheless paid at the intended but never formalized new hourly rates. This item is brought forward to authorize execution of the amendment with the additional compensation, a minor change to the scope of services and updated hour rates as the parties intended, with an effective date of June 1, 2025, and to ratify the $4,196 the City erroneously previously paid for services rendered since June 1, 2025, at the intended updated hourly rates rather than at the original contract hourly rates.
GOAL
This item relates to City core services.
BACKGROUND/PRIOR COUNCIL REVIEW
Not applicable.
ANALYSIS
The Human Resources Department recommends that Council approve a First Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement Number F002773 in an amount of $150,000 to allow for continued employment-related workplace investigations and legal services, for a total contract amount not to exceed $250,000 with updated hour rates effective June 1, 2025 as the parties intended, and a slight modification to the scope of work. It is further recommended that due to the Council ratify $4,196 paid by the City for services rendered under the agreement at the intended updated hourly rates set forth in the attached proposed amendment rather than at the hourly rates set forth in the original agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT
This item has no impact on FY 2025-2026 budget, current budgets within various department budgets will meet the requirement for appropriations as previously approved by Council. Upcoming budget adoptions in the years FY 2026-2027 and FY 2027-2028 will include this expense going forward.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The proposed action is not a “project” subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, as it involves administrative and fiscal activities, including approval of a professional services agreement amendment and ratification of payments, which will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – First Amendment to Professional Services Agreement F002773
PRESENTER(S)
Dominique Blanquie, Human Resources Director
FIRST AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT NUMBER F002773 WITH KRAMER WORKPLACE INVESTIGATIONS FOR CONTINUED LEGAL SERVICES PAGE 3 OF 3