HomeMy WebLinkAboutRequest to Discontinue Option of Outsourcing the City AttornDate: September 10, 2012
Subject: CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ITEM FOR THE SEPTEMBER 17, 2012,
CITY COUNCIL MEETING — OUTSOURCING OF CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
I am requesting that the City Council consider discontinuing the option of outsourcing
the City Attorney's Office.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive and file the RFQ responses for City Attorney services that were received on
August 31, 2012. 1 also recommend that the City Council review the responses to
identify cost -saving opportunities, if any exist.
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Xc: Fred Wilson, City Manager
Paul Emery, Deputy City Manager
Bob Hall, Deputy City Manager
Joan Flynn, City Clerk
Jennifer McGrath, City Attorney
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Esparza, Patty
From: Surf City Pipeline [noreply@user.govoutreach.com]
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2012 2:19 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL; agendaalerts@surfcity-hb.org
Subject: Surf City Pipeline: Comment on an Agenda Item (notification)
Request # 12416 from the Government Outreach System has been assigned to Johanna Stephenson.
Request type: Comment
Request area: City Council - Agenda & Public Hearing Comments
Citizen name: Mary Urashima
Description: SEPTEMBER 24, 2012 - AGENDA ITEM #3 - OUTSOURCING CITY ATTORNEY
OFFICE
Honorable Mayor Hansen and Members of the City Council,
I am writing as a private citizen to voice my support for an elected city attorney and for
providing that elected official with the ability to hire and fire staff within his/her office.
The concern regarding outsourcing lies in the divided loyalties that may occur. An
elected , independent city attorney has a larger constituency ---the City, as municipal
corporation ---and must represent all interests. Maintaining the office as an elected
position provides stronger public accountability, or check and balance. An elected city
attorney also ensures the attorney is a resident of and intimately familiar with the city.
The majority of California's large cities have elected city attorneys for these reasons.
A recent review conducted by Albany, California on this issue stated "the costs of a City
Attorney depends more on the issues facing a city than on whether the City Attorney is
appointed or elected." When Oakland, California cut their in-house legal staff, their
outsourced counsel costs skyrocketed. Anaheim has an appointed city attorney with a
staff of approximately 23 as compared to Santa Ana (similar population) which has an
appointed city attorney and a staff of 8.5. Newport Beach, with an appointed city
attorney and half the population of Huntington Beach, has a staff of 5.7, only one staff
person less than Huntington Beach. Cost comparisons are difficult as some cities handle
their accounting differently, some are full service while others are not, some own their
own utilities, some have coastal land and deal with the Coastal Commission, some cities
have years with a high number of legal claim payouts, etc.
Considering the complexity of cost comparisons, the proposed solution to outsource may
not be the answer. It would seem logical to study the actions taken at cities that have
reduced legal costs and also to allow the existing city attorney's office to present their
recommendations to reduce costs.
Regards,
Mary Urashima
Huntington Beach, CA
Expected Close Date: 09/25/2012
Click here to access the request
SUPPLEMENTAL
COMMUNICATION
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Agenda MOM No.
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