Report Prepared by: Stephanie Dietz, Assistant City Manager
Title
SUBJECT: Consideration of the First Amendment to the Berliner Cohen, LLP Contract for Interim City Attorney and Interim Legal Services
REPORT IN BRIEF
Consider authorizing a First Amendment to the Agreement with Berliner Cohen, LLP to provide Interim City Attorney Services.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion:
A. Approving the First Amendment to the Agreement for Interim Legal Services for Interim City Attorney Services with Berliner Cohen, LLP, and;
B. Authorizing the Finance Officer to make any appropriate budget adjustments, and;
C. Authorizing the City Manager or Assistant City Manager to execute the First Amendment to the Agreement for Interim Legal Services with Berliner Cohen, LLP.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommended by staff; or,
2. Provide direction on specific revisions to the Agreement; or,
3. Request additional information; or,
4. Continue the matter to a certain date; or,
5. Decline to take action.
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Sections 200 and 603
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
N/A
DISCUSSION
Following the departure of the former City Attorney, the City was in need of appointing a City Attorney to provide the services required by Section 603 of the City Charter. Around the same time, the City's Senior Deputy City Attorney position became vacant, which left one attorney and two support staff members to staff the City Attorney's Office. On August 15, 2016, the City Council approved an Agreement with the law firm, Berliner Cohen, LLP (hereafter Berliner Cohen) to provide Interim City Attorney and legal Services for the City. Under the terms of this Agreement, Berliner Cohen Partner Jolie Houston was appointed Interim City Attorney and two attorneys from Berliner Cohen's Merced office, Jeff Kauffman, a Berliner Cohen Partner, and Kim Flores, a Senior Associate, were retained to provide interim legal services for the vacant Senior Deputy Ci...
Click here for full text