2010/08/24 City Council Resolution 2010-105RESOLUTION NO. 2010-105
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
APPROVING AN AGREEMENT FOR CITY ATTORNEY SERVICES BETWEEN CITY
OF ROHNERT PARK AND BURKE, WILLIAMS & SORENSEN, LLP
WHEREAS, the firm of McDonough Holland & Allen PC ( "MHA ") has provided legal
services to the City of Rohnert Park ( "City ") since 2002;
WHEREAS, Michelle Marchetta Kenyon, on behalf of MHA, has served as City Attorney
since 2005;
WHEREAS, MHA has determined to wind down its firm operations and will be dissolving
as of August 31, 2010;
WHEREAS, Michelle Marchetta Kenyon and the entire Oakland Office of MHA will be
joining the law firm of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP ( "Burke ") effective August 30, 2010;
WHEREAS, City and Burke desire to enter into an Agreement to provide City Attorney
services to City as described in the Agreement for City Attorney Services, attached hereto as
Exhibit A.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City that its Agreement for City
Attorney Services with McDonough Holland & Allen PC is hereby terminated effective August
29, 2010.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the City of Rohnert hat the Mayor is hereby
authorized to enter into the Agreement for City Attorney Services between City and Burke,
Williams & Sorensen, LLP to be effective August 30, 2010 in a form attached hereto and
incorporated herein as Exhibit "A."
DULY AND REGULARLY ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Rohnert
Park this 24th day of August, 2010.
ATTEST
19
CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
My Clerk
CALIPOitNiA
BELFORTE: AYE BREEZE: NO CALLINAN: NO MACKENZIE: AYE STAFFORD: AYE
AYES: (3) NOES: (2) ABSENT: (0) ABSTAIN: (0)
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AGREEMENT FOR CITY ATTORNEY SERVICES
THIS AGREEMENT, dated August 30, 2010, is made and entered into by and between the
City of Rohnert Park, a municipal corporation ( "City "), and Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP
( "Burke ").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the firm of McDonough Holland & Allen PC ( "MHA ") has provided legal
services to City since 2002; and
WHEREAS, Michelle Marchetta Kenyon has served as the City Attorney for the City
since 2005 and several other attorneys from MHA's Oakland office have served as the Assistant
City Attorney and special counsel for the City during that time; and
WHEREAS, MHA has determined to wind down its firm operations and will be
dissolving as of August 31, 2010; and
WHEREAS, Michelle Marchetta Kenyon and MHA's Oakland Office will be joining the
law firm of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP effective August 30, 2010; and
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the parties to enter into this Agreement to establish the
terms and conditions for rendition of City Attorney and special counsel services to the City.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS MUTUALLY AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Legal Services.
Burke's duties shall be that of City Attorney, as described generally in California
Government Code §§ 41801- 41805, and Burke shall perform any and all basic City Attorney
duties and functions entrusted to it by the City including, without limitation, attendance at
meetings of the City Council and other City bodies as requested, rendition of legal advice on
City matters to City staff, preparation of ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and other legal
documents pertaining to City affairs, preparation of opinions regarding City matters as requested
by appropriate City officials, and general municipal advice to all departments of the City. Burke
shall also provide special counsel services such as personnel, redevelopment, construction law
and representation of the City in all matters of litigation involving the City unless upon
consultation with Burke the City Council authorizes retention of separate litigation counsel.
Michelle Marchetta Kenyon shall be designated the City Attorney and she will be the coordinator
of services provided to the City with other attorneys of the firm as necessary.
EXHIBIT A
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City and its members recognize that the firm of Burke provides legal representation to
public entities throughout California. Legal services will not include matters in which Burke has
a conflict of interest that precludes Burke from representing City, members of the City Council,
or officers or employees of City. If Burke has a conflict of interest or lacks expertise to handle a
particular assignment, Burke shall provide the City with a recommendation to hire outside
counsel. City also agrees to exercise reasonable discretion in providing waivers for any potential
or perceived conflicts that might arise out of representation of Burke's other clients, which
representation does not directly involve Burke's representation of City.
Section 2. Compensation.
In consideration for the rendition of legal services, beginning August 30, 2010, City shall
compensate Burke as follows:
A. For basic City Attorney services which shall include attendance at two City
Council meetings per month, regular office hours, rendition of routine legal advice, preparation
of ordinances, resolutions, contracts and other standard legal documents, and preparation of
formal written opinions, City shall pay to Burke a monthly retainer of $23,229.00 per month for
120 hours per month. This sum shall be billed to City on a monthly basis. For any work
performed in any month above and beyond 120 hours, the City shall pay Burke $235 per hour for
work performed by Michelle Marchetta Kenyon or other Burke shareholders, $190 per hour for
work performed by senior associates and $175 per hour for work performed by junior associates,
which shall be billed to City on a monthly basis.
B. For other additional services rendered in connection with real estate matters,
redevelopment, personnel matters, specialized construction/public contract advice, preparation,
prosecution and defense of litigation and/or formal adjudicative or investigative proceedings,
City shall be billed by Burke at the standard hourly public agency rate established by and as
changed from time to time by Burke. For cost recovery matters for which the City receives
reimbursement, City shall be billed by Burke at the standard hourly rates established by and as
changed from time to time by Burke. Prior to instituting any such rate increase, Burke agrees to
provide City Manager with prior notice of any rate increase.
Section 3. Monthly Billing Expense Reimbursements.
Burke shall bill the City on a monthly basis. Each bill shall indicate the date of the work
done, the work that was accomplished, the attorney or paralegal who performed the work, and
the fee for the work. To each bill, Burke shall add an administrative charge of 4% of legal fees
in lieu of separately itemizing general overhead costs which are generally chargeable to a client,
including long distance telephone service, facsimile charges, regular postage, and routine
copying of documents. Burke shall regularly monitor its actual administrative expenses to
ensure that the administrative charge is a fair and reasonable approximation of actual expenses.
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The following out -of- pocket expenses will be separately itemized and included in bills to
the City: (1) extraordinary operating expenses, including items such as messenger services,
overnight mail charges, extraordinary copying, and computer- assisted research; (2) necessary
travel and subsistence expenses; (3) court costs, including filing fees, witness fees, and
deposition and discovery costs not paid directly by the City.
The City shall review and approve Burke's monthly statements and pay Burke for
services rendered and expenses incurred at the rates and in the amounts provided in this
Agreement on a monthly basis in accordance with the approved monthly statements.
Section 4. Amendment; Annual Review,
This Agreement may be amended from time to time by written agreement of the parties.
The City and Burke agree that there shall be an annual review of the provisions contained in this
Agreement to ensure that its terms and conditions are mutually satisfactory to both parties prior
to June 1 of each year. The parties also agree that the City Council shall conduct an annual
performance review of the position of City Attorney prior to June 1 of each year.
Section 5. Termination.
This Agreement may be terminated by City at any time upon written notice to Burke and
by Burke upon sixty (60) days written notice to City. In the event of termination, City shall be
responsible only for fees and costs incurred as of the effective date of the termination.
Section 6. Professional Liabili1y Coverage.
During the term of this Agreement, Burke shall at all times maintain insurance coverage
for professional liability. A copy of the policy shall be provided to the City upon request.
Section 7. Indemnification.
Burke agrees to defend, indemnify and hold the City harmless from and against claims or
liabilities arising out of the negligent errors or omissions of Burke discharging its obligations
under this Agreement, excluding claims or liabilities arising out of the City's active negligence or
wrongful conduct.
Section 8. Ownership Of Records; Retention Of Records
Upon termination of this contract, all reports, plans, documents, records, and data or
certified copies of same prepared by Burke pursuant to this Agreement shall become the property
of City, excluding Burke's internal accounting records and other documents not reasonably
necessary to City's representation, subject to Burke's right to make copies of any files withdrawn
by City. Once a matter is concluded, Burke will close the file, and City will receive notice of
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any City materials that remain in Burke's possession. City will be invited to retrieve these City
materials within 45 days of notice, or City may direct Burke to forward the City materials to
City, at City's expense. If within 45 days of this notice City fails to retrieve the City materials or
request Burke to forward them, City authorizes Burke to destroy the City materials. After the
45 -day period, Burke will, consistent with all applicable rules of professional conduct, use its
discretion as to the retention or destruction of all attorney work product and any City materials
that remain with Burke. Under Burke's document retention policy, Burke normally destroys files
five (5) years after a matter is closed, unless other arrangements are made with City. All City -
supplied materials and all attorney end product (referred to generally as "City material ") are the
property of City. Attorney end product includes, for example, finalized contracts, pleadings, and
trust documents. Attorney work product is the property of Burke. Attorney work product
includes, for example, drafts, notes, internal memoranda and electronic files, and attorney
representation and administration materials, including attorney -City correspondence and
conflicts materials.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereby execute this Agreement as of the date first
above written.
CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
a municipal corporation
By:
Pam Stafford
Mayor, City of Rohnert Park
ATTEST:
City Clerk
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BURKE, WILLIAMS & SORENSEN, LLP
LE
John J. Welsh
Managing Partner