TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Tracy M. Noonan, City Attorney
DATE:August 26, 2025
SUBJECT: Legal Services Agreements for Employee-Related Matters RECOMMENDATION:
1. Authorize expenditure in FY 2024-25 in the amount of $55,000 from A/C #001- 0510-612-5111 (Human Resources, Labor Relations) for labor relations.
2. Approve budget appropriation and authorize expenditure in FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 in the amount of $250,000 annually from A/C #001-0000-311-1000 (General Fund, Fund Balance) to A/C #001-1610-611-5199 (City Attorney, Legal) for outside legal services for employee-related matters.
3. Find that this action does not constitute a project as identified in the California Environmental Quality Act.
LEVINE ACT ITEM: No
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
$250,000 Increase to FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 General Fund Budget. $250,000 increase to the Adopted FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 General Fund Budget for legal services for various employee-related matters.
BACKGROUND:
The City is committed to providing a safe, secure, and respectful workplace for its employees, volunteers, residents, contractors, and vendors, and is also committed to ensuring the City complies with State and Federal legal personnel regulations.
The City is likewise committed to engaging and negotiating with its bargaining units in a collaborative manner. As part of these duties, the City is periodically required to engage with outside legal sources regarding various personnel matters.
Legal Services Agreements for Employee-Related Matters
August 26, 2025
1 2
7 6
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
The City has historically engaged Liebert Cassidy Whitmore (LCW) for legal guidance and advice on various employee related matters, including labor relations. LCW provides legal support on an on-going basis for such matters as employee investigations, labor negotiations, and other personnel-related matters.
It is common for some matters to extend beyond a single fiscal year.
Labor negotiations with the City’s bargaining units for FY 2024-25 included a comprehensive class and compensation study. LCW was also engaged by the City Attorney’s Office on other employee-related matters. As a result, actual legal costs for FY 2024-25 exceeded the City Manager’s $75,000 expenditure authority.
Staff recommends an additional expenditure in the amount of $55,000 in FY 2024- 25 for LCW expenditures.
In addition, staff is also recommending budget appropriation and expenditure authority in an amount not-to-exceed $250,000 annually for FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 in order to continue engaging with LCW on various personnel matters and labor negotiations. This will allow the City Attorney’s Office the flexibility to promptly engage with LCW when a legal need arises. Provision of legal services are exempt from the City’s Purchasing Policy.
COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goals:
B. Provide municipal government leadership which is open and responsive to residents, and is characterized by ethical behavior, stability, promoting public trust, transparency, confidence in the future, and cooperative interaction among civic leaders, residents, business representatives, and staff, while recognizing and respecting legitimate differences of opinion on critical issues facing the City.
C. Operate City government in a fiscally and managerially responsible and prudent manner to ensure that the City of Thousand Oaks remains one of California's most desirable places to live, work, visit, recreate, and raise a family.
PREPARED BY: Melissa Popham, Senior Legal Assistant
CAO: 650-10\mlp\Legal Files\2025 Human Resources\Staff Report.docx