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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 1986 1020 CC REG ITEM 10MTHOMAS C. FERGUSON Mayor DANNY A. WOOLARD Mayor Pro Tem JAMES A. HARTLEY Councilmember ALBERT PRIETO Councilmember LETA YANCY - SUTTON Councilmember THOMAS P. GENOVESE City Treasurer TO : F ROM = DATE _ MOORPARK MEMORANDUM The Honorable City Council Steven Kueny, City Manager C d4 October 16, 1986 Tr-u=m 1 O M S UB.1 E C T = REQUEST BY CITY ATTORNEY FOR FEE ADJUSTMENT BACKGROUND STEVEN KUENY City Manager CHERYL J.KANE City Attorney RICHARD MORTON Director of Community Development R. DENNIS DELZEIT City Engineer JOHN V. GILLESPIE Chief of Police The City Attorney's office has proposed a rate increase, as contained in the attached letter, to be effective upon approval by the City Council. This would increase the City Attorney's and Assistant City Attorney's rates from $90 and $75, respectively, to $100 per hour. The retainer is proposed to remain at $1,500 per month for the first 20 hours of service. The firm of Burke, Williams and Sorensen has served the City since incorporation. During the first year, 1983 -84, they served at the rate of $1,400 per month. Effective July 1, 1984, the City Attorney has been paid the monthly retainer of $1,500 for the first 20 hours of service plus the aforementioned rates for hours in excess of the retainer. This was approved by the Council in Resolution No. 84 -108 and has been in effect for the last 28 months. A brief survey shows that rates for contract City Attorneys range from $80 to $125 per hour in nearby and /or comparably sized cities. The retainer provisions are generally the same. I am supportive of the requested increase but feel that the City should also have a written contract with the City Attorney. The contract would, in addition to including retainer provisions and hourly rates, should include such items as travel expenses and pro rata costs for reports prepared for distribution to others besides Moorpark. 799 Moorpark Avenue Moorpark, California 93021 (805) 529 -6864 The Honorable City Council Page 2 October 16, 1986 RECOMMENDED ACTION Refer to Budget Committee for preparation of a draft contract for consideration by the City Council on November 3, 1986. MARTIN J. BURKE' RAYMOND J. FUENTES GEORGE W. TACKABURY' DON G. KIRCHER JAMES T BRADSHAW, JR.' VIRGINIA R. PESOLA MARK C. ALLEN, JR.' S. PAUL BRUGUERA RICHARD R. TERZIAN' MICHELE R. VADON MARTIN L. BURKE' B. DEREK STRAATSMA CARL K. NEWTON* NEIL C. EVANS J. ROBERT FLANDRICK' SCOTT F. FIELD EDWARD M. FOX' CRISTINA L. SIERRA DENNIS R BURKE' JOHN W. BELSHER LELAND C. DOLLEY' BENJAMIN S. KAJFMAN COL'N LENNARD' M.CHAEL J. LONG BRIAN J. SEERY' ELLEN M. BENDER THOMAS J. FEELEY* GREGORY A. DOCIMO NEIL F. YEAGER* CYNTHIA D. GOENA BRIAN A. PIERIK' KEVIN S. MILLS KAT.IER NE E. STONE' DEBORAH J. FOX CHARLES M. CALDERON' CAROL A. SCHWAB PETER M. THORSON* MARC G. PENSO THOMAS H. DOWNEY LISA E. KRAN TZ HAROLD A. BRIDGES MARK S. B.ACKMAN CHERYL J. KANE D. COLETTE GONZALEZ 'PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION LAW OFFICES BURKE, WILLIAMS & SORENSEN ONE WILSHIRE B U I L D I N G 624 SOUTH GRAND AVENUE, 11'^ FLOOR VENT',-.RA OFF'. C' 950 COL' RE DRIVE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90017 SJ. TE 2SC'0 C] (213) 623 -1900 VENTURA. CALIFORN A 930:.3 (805) 644 -7480 TELECOPIER 12131 623 -8297 TELEX 671 -1271 HARRY C. Wit ._ AMS CABLE ADDRESS (1912- 967: BWSLA UW ROYAL W SORENSEN 119 4 -19831 October 13, 1986 OF COUNSEL DWIGHT A. NEWE..L Mr. Steven Kueny City Manager City of Moorpark 799 Moorpark Avenue Post Office Box 701 Moorpark, California 93021 Re: City Attorney's Fees Dear Steve: This letter is a follow -up to our discussions over the past several months regarding City Attorney rates for the remainder of the fiscal year through June 30, 1987. As you know, this is the first fee in- crease that has been proposed since the firm began providing legal services to the City in July of 1983. My proposed hourly rate will be $100, which increases from my present rate of $90. The hourly rate of Scott Field will also be $100. Hourly rates for other attorneys in the firm will continue to range from $75 to $175. As has been my practice in the past, I will continue to use the junior associates in this firm, whose rates range from $75 to $95 an hour, for routine matters such as legal research. The hourly rates in the higher ranges would only apply to City matters that require the expertise of the most senior members of the firm. As I stated earlier, we do not propose to increase the present 20 hour per month retainer fee in the amount of $1,500. OCT 15 =»%) i 7 1 Mr. Steven Kueny October 13, 1986 Page Two Please let me know if you have any questions regarding the above. Ver2J. yours, CHE KANE CITY ATTORNEY, MOORPARK; and BURKE, WILLIAMS & SORENSEN CJK:hsk