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WE WILL GET STARTED RIGHT AWAY.I HAVE CITY ATTORNEY ARTURO MICHELLE, AND FINANCE STAFF ANALYST MARIBEL TORRES TO, TO PROVIDE THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT'S FY 2025 BUDGET.
THANK, UM, I, I'D FIRST LIKE TO THANK MARIBELL FOR ALL THE WORK SHE'S DONE.
SHE'S WORKED WITH LEGAL FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS AND HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB.
UH, WE HAVE NO WORRIES ABOUT ANYTHING WE GET FROM FINANCE, AND IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A REAL PLEASURE.
UM, LET ME BEGIN WITH, UH, THE SECOND SLIDE, WHICH IS THE ORG CHART.
AND I KNOW IT'S KIND OF, WE'RE TRYING TO FIT IT ON A PAGE.
IT'S, IT LOOKS A LITTLE ODD, BUT, UM, ONE, TWO THINGS THAT I WANNA NOTE ABOUT THIS.
ONE IS THAT YOU, WE HAVE, UH, DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY, AND THEN THREE FIRST ASSISTANTS.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS TO TRY TO GET DECISION MAKING DONE MORE QUICKLY, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THERE, THERE'S NOT A, A LOG JAM WITH ME THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY AND THEY ESSENTIALLY DIVIDE THE SECTIONS UP AMONG THEMSELVES SO WE CAN MOVE QUICKER.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE HAVE A SOLICITOR GENERAL POSITION THAT WE CREATED.
UM, IT WAS AN, AN EXISTING ATTORNEY THAT WE HAD, KALIN PD, UH, AN APPELLATE SPECIALIST, UH, OF OURS.
SHE HANDLES A NUMBER OF THE, THE TRULY BIG AND COMPLICATED CASES.
SHE DID THE PROPERTY FIREFIGHTER, SHE DID THE, UH, SUPER PREEMPTION, UH, CHALLENGE.
UH, SHE'S HANDLING THE HOTZE AND THE JONES CASE, UH, ARBOR COURT, THE COMMONS, A COUPLE OF THOSE, UH, BIGGER ONES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE HOPE IS THAT WE WILL GROW THAT SOMEWHAT, BUT BE ABLE TO FOCUS INTERNALLY AND BY DOING THAT, UH, SAVE MONEY IN TERMS OF WHAT WE SPEND ON OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN PURPOSES FOR THAT.
UH, THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST THE TABLE OF CONTENTS.
WE CAN GO TO THE FOLLOWING ONE.
NUMBER FOUR, UH, THIS IS THE STRATEGIC, UH, GUIDANCE ALIGNMENT.
AND WE'VE DIVIDED IT INTO, INTO THREE AREAS.
THE GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS IS ESSENTIALLY SORT OF THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF WHAT HAPPENS DAY IN, DAY OUT THAT THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT DOES, AND MOST LEGAL DEPARTMENTS DO, UH, IN, IN A CORPORATE SETTING WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT, OR WHAT LAW FIRMS WHO DO WORK FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO DO.
UH, WE HAVE A PUBLIC SAFETY COMPONENT.
UM, MUNICIPAL PROSECUTION PROBABLY HAS MORE LAWYERS THAN ANY OTHER, UM, UNIT OF OURS.
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES IS ONE THAT'S CONTINUALLY TAXED BECAUSE THERE'S A GREATER DEMAND FOR DEED RESTRICTIONS AND NUISANCE LAWSUITS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR OFFICE OF OIG THAT IS ESSENTIALLY OUR MAIN ARM TO DEAL WITH ANY, UH, VIOLATIONS OF, UM, OF LAWS OR STATUTES THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN QUALITY OF LIFE IS, UH, WE HAVE REAL ESTATE THERE.
AND, UH, THAT REAL ESTATE INCLUDES OUR HOUSING PEOPLE.
SO, UH, WE CATEGORIZE IT AS THAT.
OUR ALIGNED INITIATIVES AT THE BOTTOM, YOU CAN SEE, UM, VERY SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR.
THEY MAY CHANGE THE FOCUS OVER TIME, BUT POLICE REFORM IS AN ONGOING ISSUE.
UH, ILLEGAL DUMPING, WHICH IS KIND OF CENTRAL TO OUR, UH, THE, A CENTRAL TO A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE.
AND THAT THERE'S BEEN AN INITIATIVE, AND IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE FOR SEVERAL MAYORS.
THE HOMELESS INITIATIVE CONTINUES TO BE ONE THAT EVEN THOUGH HOUSTON IS SEEN AS A MODEL AND OTHER CITIES COME TO VISIT, IS ONE THAT IS, OUR RESOURCES ARE CONTINUALLY TAXED.
AND THERE'S ALWAYS A NEED TO FIND A WAY TO CONTINUE TO FUND AND EDUCATE AND MAKE BETTER EFFORTS IN THAT REGARD.
UM, SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING IS ANOTHER ISSUE.
HOUSING IS IMPORTANT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND IN HOUSTON, INCREASINGLY SO MORE THAN IN, IN, IN PAST DECADES.
AND THEN OUR OUTCOME-BASED BUDGET IS WHERE WE FOLLOWED THE REQUIREMENTS TO, UH, TO ALIGN OUR BUDGET WITH THE, THE PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS THAT ARE BEING USED.
UH, YOU CAN SEE IN THE, UH, IN THE RIGHT, THE DEPARTMENT BUDGET BY PRIORITY.
AGAIN, UH, OUR BREAD AND BUTTER TAKES UP MOST OF THAT, FOLLOWED BY PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, THE NEXT SLIDE, THESE ARE EXPENDITURES BY, UH, BY PROGRAMS. AND YOU CAN SEE PUTTING ASIDE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.
THOSE ARE THE DIFFERENT UNITS, THE SECTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, AND IT SHOWS WHAT WE'VE, WE'VE BUDGETED AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, FOR THE MOST PART, THERE IS A, A, A DROP, OR IT'S, OR IT'S STABLE, IT, EXCEPT IN, UH, REAL ESTATE AND GENERAL LITIGATION.
AND THAT'S PRIMARILY DUE TO, UH, HEALTH AND PE PENSION ISSUES FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE HIRING.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AT THE, AT THE TOP ARE REALLY THE, THE TOOLS
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THAT WE USE, YOU KNOW, OUR PROCUREMENT, OUR WESTLAW, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.THIS IS, UH, KIND OF THE FLIP OF THAT.
AND AGAIN, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES HAS THE SAME, UH, DEFINITION.
AND THEN YOU HAVE OUR VARIOUS UNITS IN TERMS OF, OF WHAT THEY BRING IN.
MOST OF WHAT THE REVENUE IS, IS THE CHARGE BACK FROM THE DEPARTMENTS FOR, FOR WHICH THEY DO THEIR WORK.
NUMBER SEVEN GOES INTO MORE DETAIL ON THESE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.
UH, YOU CAN SEE IT, IT, WE HAVE SUBPOENAS.
WE HAVE TO OPEN MATTERS THERE YOU THERE, THERE ARE COSTS FOR THAT WHEN WE DO IT.
AND INCREASINGLY, UM, ELECTRONIC DISCOVERY IS TAKING UP A, A, A BIGGER AND BIGGER CHUNK OF OUR TIME AND OUR BUDGET.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE EXPECT THAT THERE WILL BE ISSUES WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COMING DOWN THE ROAD, YOU KNOW, WHERE THAT'S STILL AT, AT, AT THE BEGINNING.
BUT I EXPECT THAT THIS WILL GROW JUST BY THE NATURE OF, OF TECHNOLOGY.
NUMBER EIGHT ARE, UM, CLAIMS AND, UH, SUBROGATION.
AND THESE ARE THE TORT CLAIMS, THE WORKERS' COMP, UM, THE ACCIDENTS AND SO ON.
YOU ALL KNOW RANDY FROM THE TUESDAY PUBLIC SESSIONS.
HE HEADS THE CLAIMS AND SUBROGATION GROUP.
AND SO WE MEASURE THIS BY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTS WE HANDLE, THE NUMBER OF OPINIONS, AND THEN THE NUMBER OF ORDINANCES THAT WE DO.
AND, UH, THIS IS, UH, MOST PEOPLE OVERLOOK THIS WHEN YOU LOOK AT LEGAL DEPARTMENT, BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE DO.
THE NUMBER OF CLAIMS THAT WE GET IS JUST REALLY TREMENDOUS AND ATTACKS A LOT OF RESOURCES.
UH, THE NEXT SLIDE NUMBER NINE, ARE CONTRACTS.
AND, UH, OUR NOT ONLY DO OUR LAWYERS HANDLE, YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONTRACTS WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENTS AND SO ON, BUT THERE ARE ALSO ORDINANCES RELATED TO CONTRACTS AND THEIR OPINIONS THAT ARE, WE HAVE TO ISSUE WITH REGARD TO CONTRACTUAL MATTERS.
AND SO THIS IS ONE OF OUR VERY ACTIVE AND, AND, AND LARGER SECTIONS.
DEIRDRA PENNY, WHO'S HERE OVERSEES THEM IS, AND SHE'S A BIG HELP IN TRYING TO STREAMLINE AND, AND GET THESE MATTERS THROUGH.
BUT YOU CAN SEE HERE WHAT OUR, UH, UH, WHAT THE, UM, WHAT WE BUDGET FOR THIS AND THESE, UM, UH, THIS COMES OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS, UH, GENERAL LITIGATION.
AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE EASIEST WAY TO LOOK AT IT, IS WE HAVE A GROUP THAT DOES HANDLES TORT CLAIMS, WHICH ARE, YOU KNOW, AUTO ACCIDENTS, UM, SOMETIMES EXCESSIVE FORCE AND CIVIL RIGHTS CLAIMS. AND REALLY THE BALANCE OF IT IS HANDLED BY GENERAL LITIGATION EXCEPT FOR OUR LABOR AND WHAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND MUNICIPAL COURTS DO.
SO THEY REALLY HANDLE, UH, MUCH OF WHAT WE DO.
AND COLLIN CAME FROM THIS GROUP.
SO OUR BIG CASES, UH, THE ONES THAT ARE PRECEDENT SETTING THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO AFFECT A LOT OF DOLLARS OFTEN, UH, EMANATE FROM OUR GENERAL COUNSEL LAWYERS.
AND WE DO OUR OWN APPEALS FOR THE MOST PART.
WE WILL AT TIMES HIRE AN APPELLATE SPECIALIST, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE DO THAT.
UH, CONDEMNATION IS ALSO INCLUDED ON THIS.
WE HAVE, BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH AND THE, AND THE, UH, MAINTENANCE AND THE BUILDING THAT WE DO, WE HAVE A, UH, A LARGE NUMBER OF CONDEMNATION CASES.
AND THEN WE HAVE A, YOU LIST AT THE BOTTOM, PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY ORDINANCES, UTILITY CERTIFICATES.
UM, WE TRY TO MEASURE IT PRIMARILY BASED ON THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE HANDLING.
AND GIVEN THE VOLUME THAT WE HAVE, I THINK THAT'S A FAIRLY GOOD MEASURE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP ON TOP OF THINGS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS HOW IT'S FUNDED.
WE HAVE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY FUND MONEY FOR, UH, FOR THE CATEGORY YOU SEE IN THE UPPER RIGHT.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE, UH, LABOR, EMPLOYMENT AND CIVIL SERVICE.
AND, UH, THEY, THEY ONLY NOT PROVIDE, THEY PROVIDE GENERAL ADVICE TO THE DEPARTMENTS TO HR, BUT THEY ALSO HANDLE THE EEOC AND TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION MATTERS.
THEY HANDLE THE INDEFINITE SUSPENSIONS, UM, THAT WE HAVE AND MEDICAL SEPARATIONS.
IT'S A, THE, THE GROUP IS NOT THAT LARGE, BUT IT HAS, THEY DO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT.
THEY HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESPONSIBILITY.
MOST OF THEM I HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL THINGS GOING ON AT ONCE IN VERY DIVERSE THINGS.
AND THEY DEAL WITH OUR UNION CONTRACTS.
THE ISSUES WITH THAT, THE NEGOTIATIONS, AND THIS IS, YOU CAN SEE THE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY IN THE THOUSANDS NUMBER UP IN THE UPPER RIGHT,
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UH, MUNICIPAL PROSECUTION IS NEXT.AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH OUR MUNI COURT OPERATIONS, BUT WHAT I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE HERE IS NOT JUST THE CITATIONS AND, AND THE TRIALS AND THE, AND THE DISMISSALS AND SETTLEMENTS THAT WE HAVE IN THERE, BUT THERE ARE ALSO A NUMBER OF DISCOVERY REQUESTS.
WE HAVE A VERY SOPHISTICATED PLAINTIFF'S SPAR HERE FOR MUNICIPAL COURT, AND MANY TIMES THEY MAKE A VERY LARGE AND COMPLEX DISCOVERY REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE TO DEBATE WITH THEM, THAT WE HAVE TO FILE MOTIONS TO TRY TO LIMIT THEM.
AND THAT TAKES UP A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT, ARE NOT AWARE OF THAT ABOUT HOW THAT THEY'RE SKILLED IN IT, BUT IT IS, UH, QUITE A BURDEN ON OUR, UH, MUNICIPAL COURT LAWYERS.
THEY ALSO PROVIDE TRAINING, UM, FOR THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS ON THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO KNOW.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, IF THEY ISSUE CITATIONS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU PROVE SOMETHING UP, UH, EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.
UH, THE NEXT SLIDE IS, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES.
UH, THIS IS A GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
UM, I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THEY DO.
IT'S NOT ONLY DANGEROUS BUILDINGS AND REVIEWS, BUT IT'S THE DEED RESTRICTIONS AND IT'S THE NUISANCE LAWSUIT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY HERE WE HAVE TROUBLE FILLING SOME OF THESE VACANCIES.
AND SO THERE ARE SOME OF THE POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED, AT LEAST FOR NOW UNTIL, UH, WE SEE A NEED TO ASK THE ADMINISTRATION IF WE CAN'T MOVE AS QUICKLY AS WE'D LIKE TO.
AND ONE OF THE GOALS FOR THE DEPARTMENT IS TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN, IN THIS UNIT, IN, IN TERMS OF FILING CHAPTER 1 25 LAWSUITS OR, OR OTHER LAWSUITS, UM, BECAUSE OF THE FRUSTRATION THAT YOU HEAR AT PUBLIC SESSION, UH, EACH AND EVERY WEEK ABOUT HOW PEOPLE WANT SOMETHING DONE, ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, NUMBER 15 IS OUR OIG OFFICE.
THAT'S, UM, A MIXTURE OF GENERAL FUND AND, AND PROPERTY AND CASUALTY.
UM, THEY HAVE TO, FIRST OF ALL, SIFT THROUGH A LOT TO SEE WHAT IT IS THAT WOULD BE COVERED BY OUR ORDINANCE IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU DO.
THEN THEY HAVE THE INVESTIGATIONS THAT PROCEED FROM THAT.
THE OFFICE OF POLICE REFORM AND ACCOUNTABILITY IS ALSO HOUSED IN OIG.
SO THAT DEALS WITH THE, UH, NOT ONLY WITH THE REVIEW BOARD, BUT CURRENTLY WITH THE, UH, HPD CASE CLOSURE REVIEW PANEL.
AND, AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT.
UM, THE, AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THAT PAGE IN THE ROW, IT TALKS ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE OF CITIZENS WHO FEEL SAFE IT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU, YOU MAY WONDER HOW DOES ONE KNOW THAT? WELL, THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHEN, WHEN THE PEOPLE IN OUR, UH, POLICE REFORM AND ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE GO TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THEY, THEY TAKE SURVEYS FOR PEOPLE TO GET A KIND OF A SENSE OF HOW THEY FEEL, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THEIR SAFETY AND WHERE THEY LIVE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT THAT MEASURE RECORDS.
THE NEXT ONE IS, UH, REAL ESTATE.
AND THIS IS, UH, A GENERAL FUND MONEY.
THEY DEAL WITH MANY OF THE HOMELESS ISSUES.
THEY DEAL WITH, UH, VARIOUS EASEMENT, DEDICATIONS, YOU KNOW, NUMBER OF UTILITY ISSUES, UH, COME UP WITH THAT.
AND THEN ALSO THE REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS THAT THE, THE CITY ENGAGES IN.
I MEAN, SOME OF THESE ARE VERY COMPLEX, AND, UH, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR HOU SOME OF OUR HOUSING ITEMS, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME TOUGH NEGOTIATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE TO PAY BACK MONEY OR WE PRESERVE WHAT WE HAVE WITH HUD AND, AND, AND VARIOUS OTHER AGENCIES.
AND THESE ARE, UH, GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
17 IS, UH, TORTS AND CIVIL RIGHTS.
UM, THIS IS ANOTHER AREA, UH, LIKE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES WHERE WE HAVE DIFFICULTY HIRING LAWYERS.
PART OF IT IS A HUGE CASE LOAD THEY HAVE.
THE OTHER IS JUST THE, UH, NOT A LOT OF LAWYERS HAVE DEVELOPED EXPERTISE IN IMMUNITY, WHICH IS A BIG PART OF WHAT OUR TORT CASES ARE.
AND THEN ALSO IN CIVIL RIGHTS, YOU KNOW, THE CUSTOM PRACTICE AND POLICY DEFENSE OF THE CITY, OFTEN IN EXCESSIVE FORCE AND OTHER CASES LIKE THAT.
UH, AND THE MEASUREMENTS WE HAVE DOWN HERE ARE REALLY BY, BY THE NUMBER THAT THEY TAKE.
AND IT'S A GOOD MEASURE GIVEN THE VOLUME OF WORK THAT THEY HAVE.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS BY THE DIFFERENT FUND.
UH, WHAT IT PAYS FOR DIVIDED BETWEEN PERSONNEL AND NON-PERSONNEL.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE LEGAL INDUSTRY REMAINS STILL VERY LABOR INTENSIVE.
UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE DO, OUR GENERAL FUND, MOST OF THAT IS PERSONNEL.
UH, PROPERTY AND CASUALTIES IS, IS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S FROM THAT FUND THAT WE PAY SETTLEMENTS.
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OTH OTHER LEGAL SERVICE COSTS.AND THEN THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION FUND IS PRIMARILY, UH, PERSONNEL.
UH, BUT THERE, IT, IT DOES HAVE A, UH, A, A NON-PERSONNEL COMPONENT.
UH, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WHAT, WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE THERE.
IF YOU WANTED TO GET A SENSE OF GENERALLY WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE BETWEEN THAT THE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY HAS TO, UH, THERE HAS TO BE SUFFICIENT MONEY TO BE ABLE TO PAY, ARE, UH, OBLIGATIONS, WHETHER JUDGEMENTS OR SETTLEMENTS.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S ALWAYS A LARGE FIGURE.
THEN, UH, THE NEXT SLIDE 19 IS THE EXPENDITURE BY FUND.
UH, AND YOU, YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED AND, AND WHAT THE VARIANCE IS.
THE, YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY AND WORKERS' COMPENSATION FUNDER INCREASING SLIGHTLY THE, UM, IT'S IN THE GENERAL FUND WHERE, WHERE THE CUTS ARE, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO SAVE MONEY.
AND THAT'S GENERALLY TRUE OF MOST, UH, DEPARTMENTS.
IT'S THE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS THAT ARE, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO REDUCE AND CUT HU THE FOLLOWING SLIDE IS THE REVENUE BY FUND.
AND AGAIN, AND THAT'S IN THE THOUSANDS.
AND YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE REVENUE THAT THE, UH, LEGAL DEPARTMENT GETS IS PRIMARILY THE, THE CHARGEBACK FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE WITH THE REDUCTION IN, IN PERSONNEL, WE'RE REDUCING THE GENERAL FUND, THE, UH, PROPERTY AND CASUALTIES IS ABOUT THE SAME.
UM, NUMBER 21, I THINK REFLECTS WHAT I'VE, JUST, WHAT I'VE FINISHED SAYING THAT THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES ARE THE RECAPTURE OF SALARIES, AND THEN THE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY REVENUES MATCH THE EXPENDITURE OF THE FUNDS IT'S SET UP SO THAT THIS IS MONEY THAT IS USED TO PAY, UH, FOR THESE LEGAL OBLIGATIONS.
AND SO WE, IT IS USED FOR THAT, AND WE BUDGET IT AND WE PUT MONEY IN TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND THEN NUMBER 22 IS THE, UM, IS WHERE OUR REDUCTIONS OCCURRED.
WE ELIMINATED A TITLE EXAMINER AND WE ELIMINATED IN NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, UH, CERTAIN POSITIONS THAT WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FILL.
AND SO WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, A TITLE EXAMINER WHO'S THE LEGAL SUPPORT, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO ADD TO THE LOAD THAT PEOPLE HAVE.
WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING IT WON'T SLOW US DOWN TOO MUCH.
IF IT DOES, YOU KNOW, WE WILL INFORM THE ADMINISTRATION AND COUNCIL TO SEE IF, IF ANYTHING CAN BE DONE.
AND, UH, SIMILARLY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE PERSONNEL, WE MAY HAVE TO BORROW RESOURCES FROM THE OTHER, SOME OF THE OTHER SECTIONS THAT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO THAT.
AND IF IT IS SLOWING US DOWN, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO RETURN TO, TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND COUNCIL.
AND THAT BRINGS ME TO THE QUESTIONS.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY ATTORNEY AND TO THE ENTIRE TEAM, UH, CAROLYN, DEIDRA, SIA, RANDY, I, I KNOW I'M GONNA MISS A BUNCH OF PEOPLE, BUT WE, Y'ALL WORK SO HARD ON SO MANY DIFFERENT REALMS WITHIN THE CITY.
I KNOW YOU DISCUSSED IT'S REALLY HARD TO MEASURE SUCCESS IN LAW BECAUSE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT THE DOLLARS YOU'VE BROUGHT IN, BUT IT'S WHETHER OR NOT WE SECURED A SETTLEMENT WITH SOMETHING RATHER THAN HAVING TO GO TO COURT, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I APPRECIATE SOME OF THE MEASUREMENTS YOU SAID.
DO WE HAVE, UH, GOING BACK TO PAGE EIGHT OR SLIDE EIGHT, EXCUSE ME.
UM, IN TERMS OF CASE OUTCOMES, DO WE HAVE A NUMBER RELATED TO IF IT DID GO TO TRIAL OR DID GO TO BEFORE A JUDGE, HOW MANY WINS THE CITY HAS HAD, FOR EXAMPLE? UH, I THINK WE CAN PULL THAT DATA.
IT'S, UM, IF YOU PUT ASIDE MUNICIPAL PROSECUTION, YOU HAVE RELATIVELY FEW TRIALS.
EVEN OUR, OUR, UM, OUR TORT, OUR TORTS AND CIVIL RIGHTS SEEMS PARTICULARLY ACTIVE, AND THEY PROBABLY TRY AS MANY AS MOST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, BUT IT'S STILL A VERY, A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF WHAT WE DO.
I MEAN, I THINK I ALMOST A BETTER MEASURE IS HOW ARE YOU DETERMINING WHEN TO SETTLE SOMETHING, BECAUSE THERE'S A BALANCE BETWEEN POSSIBLY WINNING IT, BUT AT EXPENDING ALL THESE RESOURCES THAT YOU'RE SPREADING YOURSELF TOO THIN, RIGHT? WHICH THEN IT ENDS UP NOT BEING WORTH PURSUING.
YOU'D RATHER TAKE THE SETTLEMENT.
SO AGAIN, REALLY GREAT IN TERMS OF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE COUNT OF NUMBER OF LIABILITY CLAIMS WITH NO PAYMENT, UM, ANY OF THE MEASURABLES THAT WE CAN INCLUDE.
BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, I THINK, TO HAVE, UM,
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ANY WAY IN WHICH WE CAN MEASURE MM-HMMUM, IN, ON TERMS OF SLIDE 14 NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, AND I MAY HAVE MISSED IT.
UM, DO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO RECOUP IN TERMS OF, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE CITY GOES, UH, TO SECURE A PROPERTY, MAYBE IT'S AN UNSAFE PROPERTY THAT DAWN HAS NOW FENCED, OR WE'VE HAD TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE CITATIONS.
DO WE HAVE A NUMBER IN TERMS OF THE, THE SUCCESS OF ACTUALLY SECURING, UM, THE PENALTIES FROM THAT, OR THE COSTS THAT WERE EXPENDED TO A DEPARTMENT? I'M SURE THAT WE CAN, WE CAN GET THAT IN WHAT WE RECOUP, SO WE'LL GET THAT.
A AGAIN, I'M JUST TRYING TO LOOK AT AS WE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH WE UTILIZE MM-HMM
THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, AND ONE OF THE IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS IS GETTING THOSE DOLLARS BACK, WHICH AGAIN, GOES TO HELPING THE OVERALL BUDGET.
UH, MY SECOND KIND OF PARAMETER OF QUESTIONING, I'LL GO BACK IN THE QUEUE.
UH, I, I'M GONNA FOLLOW UP ON MY COLLEAGUES QUESTION.
I IN THE SYMBOL IN THE SAME VEIN, WHEN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, PRESENTED MY QUESTION WAS MORE SO ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GENERATE, UM, BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND IF WE WERE ABLE TO TRULY COLLECT ON THE LIEN PROPERTIES AND ALL OF THAT.
AND THEY, THEY SUGGESTED THAT, THAT I HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH LEGAL.
UM, BUT, UM, GOING BACK TO THE SLIDE 14 AND, AND THEN COLLAPSING SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS, UM, AND THE HIGH DEMAND FOR CHAPTER 2025, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'VE HEARD US AD NAUSEUM TALK ABOUT APARTMENT COMPLEXES AFTER HOURS, CLUBS, ALL OF THAT.
SO THEN WHAT, SO WHAT IS, BECAUSE WE'VE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE STAFFING FOR THAT FULLY, LIKE A FULL TEAM FOR THAT, WHAT'S OUR ALTERNATIVE? BECAUSE THE NEED IS STILL THERE.
AND THEN IS THERE, IS THIS SIMPLY BECAUSE, UM, LAW STUDENTS AREN'T PURSUING THIS AS A PATH, OR THE INDUSTRY IS CHANGING? IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE WE CAN DO? UM, BECAUSE AS YOU HEARD AT THE DE RESTRICTION WORKSHOP, YOU KNOW, UH, PEOPLE HAVE A LOT, COMMUNITIES HAVE A LOT OF NEED AND, UM, FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE, SO IT'S ESSENTIALLY TWO QUESTIONS.
UM, THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM THE LIENS, FROM THE DANGEROUS BUILDINGS AND ALL OF THAT.
WHAT, WHAT'S, IS THERE A NUMBER THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF? AND THEN SECONDLY, ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, THOSE POSITIONS THAT ARE COLLAPSING? UM, UH, I, I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER ON ME.
I, I, I LIKE THE INQUIRY BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU HAVE TO, I, I THINK THIS SORT OF DATA WILL HELP HIGHLIGHT THE DIFFICULTIES AND SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE.
I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, A LARGE ONE, IF YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH IT AND YOU MAY HAVE TO DISPLACE A RESIDENCE, THEN THAT INVOLVES FINDING HOUSING FOR THEM, FINDING A JUDGE TO, TO PUT IN A RECEIVER.
AND SO I THINK THE, I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT AT LEAST, UM, CATEGORIZES WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THE POTENTIAL, UM, COST AND THEN POTENTIAL REVENUES THAT MIGHT BE MORE HELPFUL TO THIS ANALYSIS.
I'LL, YES, I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, CITY ATTORNEY AND YOUR TEAM.
UM, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO TO SUPPORT US, SPECIFICALLY INDEED RESTRICTIONS.
UH, WE'RE HELPING THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION WITH YOUR HELP.
SO MY QUESTION IS, CONCERNING ILLEGAL DUMPING, UM, THE DISTRICT CONTINUES TO SEE A RISE IN ILLEGAL DUMPING, AND OUR MAIN CONCERN IS ENFORCEMENT.
OF THOSE, UH, ORDINANCES AND RULES THAT ARE ON THE BOOKS.
UH, WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A STRATEGY WITH YOUR ASSISTANCE THAT CAN HELP US WITH ENFORCEMENT.
WE ARE SEEING A GROWTH IN THIS BECAUSE OF, UH, DEVELOPMENT GENTRIFICATION, AND WE SEE MUCH OF OUR ILLEGAL DUMPING IS CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY, IF YOU CAN HELP US WORKING WITH YOUR TEAM TO ADDRESS THAT AND DEVELOP A, A STRATEGY WITH SOME TOOLS THAT COULD BE EFFECTIVE.
LET ME, UH, LET ME FIND OUT WHERE THE, THE STATUS OF THINGS ARE.
I MEAN, CAMERAS ARE A HUGE HELP BECAUSE IT PROVIDES EVIDENCE.
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AFTER SOMEONE FOR A, A CRIMINAL ISSUE, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SHOW WHO WAS DOING IT AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT IT, IT WAS NOT A MISTAKE THAT THEY HAD THE, THE MENTAL STATE TO DO IT.BUT, UH, I, I WILL GET WITH YOU AND THE COUNCIL MEMBER ON THAT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE AND WELCOME MY VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER, MARIO CASTILLO.
WE ALSO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ IN THE CHAMBER, AND VICE MAYOR PRO TEM AMY PECK HAS JOINED US.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, WHO'S NEXT IN THE QUOTE IN THE QUEUE.
UM, ARTURO, I WAS A LITTLE BIT LATE.
I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED SOMETHING, BUT, UM, SLIDE NUMBER FIVE, EXPENDITURE BY PROGRAM.
THERE WAS A BIG JUMP BETWEEN, IN GENERAL LITIGATION, BIG JUMP BETWEEN FYI 23 AND 24, AND THAT INCREASE IN AMOUNT CONTINUES IN FY 25.
CAN YOU, UM, RUN THROUGH WHY, WHY THAT IS THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE? UM, YOU KNOW, BUT THIS ALSO INCLUDES COMPENSATION.
SO PART OF IT IS ADDED PERSONNEL, BUT WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF VERY, UM, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT CASES THAT HAVE BEEN PERSONNEL AND SOMETIMES OUTSIDE COUNSEL, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU, YOU MAY HAVE MISSED WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE SOLICITOR GENERAL POSITION.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD, UH, UH, DRAINAGE FEE RELATED LITIGATION.
WE'VE HAD THIS SUPER PREEMPTION BILL.
UH, WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, TAKINGS ISSUES HAVING TO DO WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, FLOOD CONTROL AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO, UH, I CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE SPECIFIC COSTS, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE A COMBINATION OF THOSE TWO AREAS.
REGARDING SLIDE 17, GENERALLY, UM, YOU SPOKE TO HAVING TO HIRE OUT, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, OF PUTTING IT, SOME OF THE QUALIFIED IMMUNITY, EXCESSIVE FORCE WORK.
UM, THOSE ARE CASES THAT THE CITY GETS HITS, HIT WITH, UH, EVERY YEAR, YOU KNOW? MM-HMM.
BECAUSE WE HAVE A LARGE POLICE FORCE AND DO A LOT OF POLICING.
IT'S THE NATURE OF, OF, UM, THE BUSINESS, I SUPPOSE.
UM, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS, IF ANY, TO DOING MORE OF THAT WORK IN-HOUSE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO FARM IT OUT? WELL, WE DO MOST OF THAT.
I THINK PROBABLY THE BIGGEST HIT HAS BEEN THE, UH, HARDY STREET LITIGATION, UM, UH, WITH OFFICER GOYS AND, UH, ALL OF THE ISSUES THERE THAT HAS INVOLVED, UH, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL OFFICERS WERE NAMED AS DEFENDANTS.
THERE WERE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE HANDLE OUR EXCESSIVE FORCE CASES INTERNALLY.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF, UH, I WON'T SAY A NUMBER, BUT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED, UH, LAWYERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THAT.
UH, WE PROBABLY NEED MORE NUMBERS, BUT IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND SOMEONE WHO IS FOCUSED ON, UM, CIVIL RIGHTS DEFENSE IN THE PAST.
BUT WE'RE ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THAT.
SO, UH, I CAN, UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF WHAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN TERMS OF THIS.
I WILL, LET ME SEE IF I CAN OUTLINE FOR THE COMMITTEE.
UM, I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK THE, UH, THE OUTSIDE COUNSEL THAT HAD BEEN DEDICATED TO EXCESSIVE FORCE CIVIL RIGHTS CASES.
DO YOU WANNA JUST GO BACK IN THE QUEUE? YOU BET.
UM, AND I'M LOOKING AT THE, THE DRAFT BUDGET, SO I'M NOT LOOKING AT THE SLIDES.
WHAT I'VE BEEN KIND OF, UH, UTILIZING DURING THESE BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
UM, UNDER MUNICIPAL PROSECUTION, UH, SOME OF THE CASES THAT WE'VE HEARD DON'T ALWAYS GET HURT, UH, HEARD A LOT, UM, ARE THE DOGS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER THERE'S ANY VIOLATIONS WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ANIMAL CRUELTY, DANGEROUS DOG HEARINGS, UM, AND ALSO SOME OF THE, UH, BACK TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER KAMAN WAS MENTIONING, UH, SOME OF THOSE CITATIONS AND FINES.
HOW OFTEN DO Y'ALL SEE OURSELVES IN COURT? UM, IS THAT MORE ON YOUR END OR ON THE MUNICIPAL COURT SIDE THAT, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT PURSUES IT AS, OR OPENS UP THOSE COURT CASES? UH, I MEAN, WE HAVE, UH, YOU'RE RIGHT, MOST PEOPLE THINK OF TRAFFIC CITATIONS, BUT WE HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
WE HAVE OUR, UH, UM, ANIMAL CRUELTY ISSUES, OTHER, OTHER ISSUES THAT COME UP WITH CITATIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, OUR LAWYERS HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, MY VIEW IS THAT WE NEED TO BE AGGRESSIVE IN PURSUING THESE, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE MULTIPLE CITATIONS TO A SINGLE DEFENDANT, UM, THEY'RE
[00:30:01]
OFTEN GROUPED TOGETHER AND FOR EXPEDIENCY, AND THIS INVOLVES THE, UH, THE JUDICIARY, THEY'LL, UH, THEY'LL FIND SOME, DISMISS SOME OTHERS.I THINK FOR PURPOSES OF PROSECUTORS, IT'S TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE THAT IT AFFECTS BEHAVIOR, OTHERWISE, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A WASTE.
SO TO THAT POINT, RIGHT, WHERE WHAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT IS THAT THEY'RE BEING DISMISSED MM-HMM
AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RECOUPING SOME OF THOSE, UH, FINES MM-HMM
UM, AND IF WE'RE DISMISSING THEM, THEN WE'RE DEFINITELY LOSING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
UM, AND, AND I GUESS JUST TO KIND OF, KIND OF POKE BACK AT THAT, UH, CITY ATTORNEY, IS IT, IS IT MORE SO ON THE MUNICIPAL COURT SIDE, OR IS IT ON, ON YOUR, ON, ON YOUR SIDE, ON THE LEGAL SIDE WHERE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT, UH, WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW WE RECOUP THOSE FINES.
I MEAN, I, I THINK IT, I THINK PEOPLE LOOK AT IT DIFFERENTLY.
I THINK WHAT WHAT MIGHT BE MOST EFFECTIVE IS TO HAVE THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, NOT ONLY THE PRESIDING JUDGE AND ME, BUT ALSO THE DEPARTMENTS THAT OPERATE, BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S AN ISSUE OF WHETHER THE EVIDENCE WAS PUT TOGETHER PROPERLY AND TO DO THAT.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU WOULD HAVE OTHERS THAT WOULD DO THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT WE CONSTANTLY HAVE DIALOGUE ON THAT, BUT, UM, IT, THERE IS FRUSTRATION, I THINK, BY PEOPLE WHO WANNA SEE SOMETHING DONE.
SO I, LET ME GET TOGETHER WITH THE, WITH MY FELLOW DIRECTORS AND, AND SORT OF COME UP WITH A GAME PLAN THAT WE CAN, WE CAN MEASURE.
UM, CITY ATTORNEY, WE'RE, THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT AS A COUNCIL, UH, AND AS A CITY, WE'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT PROPOSITION A MM-HMM
UH, SO WE'VE, WE'RE IN A REALM THAT IS UNCHARTERED TERRITORY IN TERMS OF HOW COUNCIL, CITY COUNCIL CAN UTILIZE THE GUIDANCE OF YOU ALL AS OUR LEGAL ADVISORS.
UM, WHEN YOU DIRECTLY REPORT TO THE ADMINISTRATION, THE MAYOR MM-HMM
UH, REGARDLESS OF WHO'S SITTING IN THAT CHAIR.
THERE'S THAT INTERESTING DYNAMIC.
UH, MY QUESTION IS, YOU PROVIDE LEGAL COUNSEL FOR ALL DEPARTMENTS.
HOW DO WE DEFINE WHAT THE LE THE OBLIGATION IS OF YOUR DEPARTMENT IN RESPONDING TO OUR INQUIRIES, LET'S SAY TO DRAFT, UH, A PROPOSED ORDINANCE MM-HMM
LET'S SAY, THAT RUNS IN CONFLICT WITH WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION MAY WANT TO SEE.
UH, DO WE HAVE A DESIGNATED INDIVIDUAL WITHIN, UH, LEGAL COUNSEL'S OFFICE, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT WORKS DIRECTLY WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS ON WHAT WE MAY BE WORKING ON? WE HAVE AN AMAZING COUNCIL LIAISON, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT AND DISTINCT FROM, WE NOW NEED TO UTILIZE, UH, POTENTIALLY ADDITIONAL SERVICES OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S MM-HMM
SO HOW DO YOU VIEW THAT AND WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO, UH, ENSURE THAT WE HAVE INDEPENDENT ACCESS AND SUPPORT SERVICES FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT? MM-HMM
UM, I THINK THE POINT PERSON TO DATE, AND IT'S A SHORT HISTORY SO FAR, HAS BEEN, UH, THE DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY, DEAR DEPEN.
AND I THINK SHE WOULD BE THE PERSON TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WHAT I HAVE SEEN FROM THE ADMINISTRATION IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, YOU KNOW, PROP A IS PROP A AND IT, IT, IT NEEDS TO BE FOLLOWED.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE DEBATE HAS BEEN PRIMARILY HOW DO YOU MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT? YOU KNOW, IS IT, HOW DO YOU GO TO A COMMITTEE? WHAT DO YOU DO? I MEAN, I WOULD ENCOURAGE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE THINKING OF A, OF A PROP A, UH, PROPOSAL IS TO, TO REACH OUT TO DEAR TO PENNY OR TO ME, OR ANY OF THESE THAT YOU MAY KNOW, HAVE A, UH, HAVE AN EXPERTISE IN THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, MUCH OF WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR MWBE COMES OUTTA CONTRACTS INITIALLY TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND HAVE A DISCUSSION TO HELP FORMULATE WHAT YOU WANNA DO.
BUT IF THERE'S A CONFLICT BETWEEN WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND WHAT, LET'S SAY A COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT MM-HMM
IT'S STILL A COUNCIL MEMBER'S RIGHT.
SO WHAT WOULD BE, AGAIN, FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, DO Y'ALL HAVE THE, I DON'T WANNA SAY AUTONOMY MM-HMM
BUT YOU, YOU ANSWER TO THE MAYOR AND HIS ADMINISTRATION, NOT NECESSARILY TO COUNCIL MM-HMM
SO HOW DO YOU WALK THAT LINE NECESSARILY? HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT IF THERE IS A CONFLICT? WELL, I THINK THE OBLIGATION, UH, UH, UH, OF THIS OFFICE IS TO, UH, REPRESENT THE CITY.
AND YOU REPRESENT COUNCIL AS A BODY, AND
[00:35:01]
PROP A IS IN THE CHARTER.SO IT'S ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT THAT, THAT, THAT YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW.
AND PEOPLE MAY DEBATE ITS WISDOM, MAY ARGUE AGAINST, IT MAY PUT UP COMPETING PROPOSALS, BUT I THINK THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OBLIGATION IS TO PUT FORTH, UH, WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED THAT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF PROP A.
AND TO THAT CHAIR, I'M GONNA ASK JUST A FEW FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.
'CAUSE IT'S IN THE SAME LINE OF QUESTIONING.
UM, WHEN WE HAVE OUTSIDE COUNSEL AGREEMENTS, UH, SOME OF THOSE CONTRACTS, I BELIEVE, LIST OUT WHICH DEPARTMENTS CAN UTILIZE THAT OUTSIDE COUNSELOR, WHAT IT REFERS TO.
IS CITY COUNCIL INCLUDED IN THE OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE OUTSIDE COUNCIL THROUGH THOSE CONTRACTS? UH, I DON'T RECALL THERE BEING LANGUAGE IN EXISTING CONTRACTS FOR THAT.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT IS COUNCIL AS A BODY, AND IF IT'S, IF THERE'S A NEED TO PROVIDE SERVICES, I THINK THAT CAN BE DONE BY, UH, BY, UM, BY AN ACTION OF COUNCIL.
SO I WOULD REQUEST THAT WE LOOK AT HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT THE LANGUAGE FOR THOSE OUTSIDE COUNCIL CONTRACTS DOES INCLUDE THE ABILITY OF CITY COUNCIL TO UTILIZE THOSE OBVIOUSLY IN TANDEM AND WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND I WANNA SAY FOR THE RECORD, CITY ATTORNEY, YOU AND YOUR STAFF HAVE ALWAYS WORKED IN GOOD FAITH WITH US.
BUT AGAIN, AS WE TRY TO CREATE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF PROPOSITION A, THERE ARE NEEDS THAT COULD BE FORESEEN IN THE FUTURE, AND TO BE, HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE SAME SERVICES THAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE.
UH, MY LAST QUESTION ON THAT, IN ADDITION TO CITY COUNCIL HAVING ACCESS TO THAT, DOES THE CITY CONTROLLER, UM, HAVE ACCESS TO THE SERVICES AT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, OR THEY DEEMED AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY? WELL, THEY'RE SEPARATELY ELECTED, BUT WE HAVE, I MEAN, HISTORICALLY, UH, WE HAVE PROVIDED ADVICE AND, AND WORK WITH THEM ON, ON VARIOUS ISSUES THAT THEY DO, WHETHER IT'S A DEBT, WHETHER IT'S OTHER BUDGET ISSUES.
DOES THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE HAVE ACCESS TO OUTSIDE COUNSEL THROUGH OUR BUDGETARY PROCESS OR THROUGH AUTHORIZATION, OR HOW WOULD THAT COME ABOUT? I, I NEED TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
I THINK IT MAY BE, UM, I MEAN, HISTORICALLY I DON'T REMEMBER A REQUEST LIKE THAT, BUT MY GUESS IS IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A REQUEST OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
SO AGAIN, IT COULD, BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH
IF THEY HAVE TO GET AUTHORIZED, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY, BUT THEY HAVE TO GET AUTHORIZATION FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
THAT'S NOT REALLY INDEPENDENT.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU, CITY ATTORNEY.
MY LAST QUESTION IS, WHAT OTHER TOOLS OR SUPPORT DO YOU AND YOUR OFFICE NEED? SO, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S THE TECH NEEDS, SO WHETHER IT'S WESTLAW, UM, BUT ARE THERE OTHER TOOLS TO MY COLLEAGUES POINT THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET OR SUPPORT SERVICES THAT YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD LIKE? WELL, I THINK WE, THE TWO AREAS AND WE NEED HELP ARE THE, OUR RECRUITING LAWYERS.
AND THEN ALSO BEING ABLE TO FIND THE MOST ECONOMICAL, UM, SYSTEM TO, TO COLLECT AND REVIEW DOCUMENTS.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SOMETIMES OUR NEEDS ARE VERY DIFFERENT.
FOR EXAMPLE, OUR, UM, CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYERS DEAL WITH A LOT OF BODY CAM, THAT'S A HUGE VOLUME, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS.
AND SO YOU'RE, SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT TO HAVE ONE, ONE SYSTEM FIT ALL.
SO THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, BOTH THE LAWYERS YOU SEE HERE, YOU KNOW, NIJA, RANDY, DEIRDRE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO LOOK AT THAT.
AND IT'S, IT'S A CONSTANT STRUGGLE.
BUT THOSE ARE THE TWO AREAS WHERE WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON AND FORMULATE WHAT IS BEST.
AND, UH, IF, IF THERE'S A NEED THERE, WE WILL CERTAINLY COME BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND COUNCIL.
IF THERE, IF THERE'S ANY NEEDS THAT AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WE CAN HELP SUPPORT MM-HMM
OR THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT TO INCLUDE IN THIS BUDGET, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO KNOW.
I WILL NOTE, UM, ONLINE THERE IS SUPPORT FOR, UM, KIND OF COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S LINE OF QUESTIONING ABOUT PROP A, YOU KNOW, HOW OTHER BODIES, OTHER ENTITIES KIND OF HAVE LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS THAT CAN HELP THEM WITH, UM, ORDINANCES AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT GO ON AGENDAS.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN NEW TERRITORY, AS YOU SAID, SO WE'D LOVE FOR, UM, LEGAL TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HELP US OUT WITH THAT.
I MEAN, WE'RE STILL TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THAT.
I MEAN, APART FROM THE, THE LEGALITY OF SOMETHING, THERE'S ALSO THE ISSUE OF FUNDING FOR AN ITEM.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE REALM THAT IS TYPICALLY THE MAYORS FOR
[00:40:01]
THAT.YOU, YOU HAVE A PROP A THAT ALLOWS, RIGHT.
UM, COUNCIL TO PUT SOMETHING ON.
UM, ARTURO BACK TO INCREASES IN EXPENDITURES.
WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, GENERAL LITIGATION, UH, ON SLIDE 19, PROPERTY AND CASUALTY FUND FROM FY 23 TO FY 24 JUMPED BY ABOUT 10 MILLION, AND FY 25 CONTINUES THAT A LITTLE BIT OF AN INCREASE THERE.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHY, UH, WE HAD AN INCREASE FROM 23 TO 24, UH, AND WHY THAT CONTINUES? UH, UH, UH, I, I THINK THAT THE, THE MAIN REASON FOR THAT IS SOME OF THE, UH, THE LITIGATION THAT I REFERENCED BEFORE WE HAD THE FIREFIGHTER LITIGATION, WE ALSO HAVE THE, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, UH, UH, OUR REVENUE CAPITAL LITIGATION AND THE DRAINAGE FEE LITIGATION.
AND THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, TRADITIONALLY, UM, WE, WE, WE, WE TOUCH ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY FUND, BUT IT'S PUT IN THERE ALMOST LIKE FOR INSURANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SUFFICIENT TO DO IT.
AND SO IT'S GONNA VARY DEPENDING ON THE LITIGATION THAT WE HAVE FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
AND SO FROM YEAR TO YEAR, DO YOU, DO YOU CONSIDER WHAT YOU SPENT LAST YEAR AND JUST SORT OF MATCH THAT WITH A SLIGHT INCREASE? OR DO YOU ASSIGN A SPECIFIC AMOUNT TO EACH LITIGATION THAT, THAT YOU SPOKE OF? IT, IT, IT'S ALMOST MORE LIKE WHAT YOU SEE ON THE HORIZON.
SO YOU HAVE A CERTAIN, UH, LEVEL THAT YOU EXPECT PERHAPS WITH SOME VARIATIONS FROM YEAR TO YEAR, JUST FROM THE NUMBER OF, UM, STANDARD THINGS THAT YOU HAVE.
BUT THEN WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, OTHER LITIGATION, THEN YOU MAY, YOU WOULD SAY, WELL, WE, WE PROBABLY HAVE TO BUDGET A LITTLE MORE IN CASE WE GET AN ADVERSE RULING IN, IN THAT, THAT CANNOT BE REVERSED ON APPEAL OR WE, WE END UP SETTLING.
ONE, UH, THE DISPARITY STUDY THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT BEFORE MM-HMM
THAT FINDINGS HAVE NOT YET BEEN RELEASED.
WHY HAVE THEY NOT YET BEEN, BEEN RELEASED? UH, WE HAD BEEN IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PRIOR, UM, PROVIDER OF THAT, UH, DISPARITY STUDY BECAUSE IT WAS OUR OPINION THAT THEY DID NOT MEET THE CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS OF HOW THEY WERE THE, THE METHODOLOGY AND WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO USE.
AND THAT IT GAVE AN, IT WOULD'VE GIVEN AN INCORRECT RESULT.
AND AT A CERTAIN POINT IT BECAME, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO, UH, STUDIES BECOME STALE AT A CERTAIN POINT.
THAT'S WHY WE TYPICALLY, EVERY FIVE YEARS OR SO DO A NEW DISPARITY STUDY.
AND SO THAT, THAT STUDY HAS BECOME MOOT AT THIS POINT, ALTHOUGH WE'RE STILL, UM, SPEAKING WITH THE CONSULTANT ABOUT, UH, THE MONIES WE PAID AND THE MONIES WE'RE NOT PAYING ON THAT.
SO WHEN WAS IT CONDUCTED? I THINK IT WAS LIKE 16, 17 SOMETHING, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND HAS THAT WORK BEEN DUPLICATED IN A SUBSEQUENT STUDY? UH, IT, I MEAN, IT WOULDN'T BE DUPLICATED BECAUSE YOU ARE LOOKING AT, UH, PRESENT TIME, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THERE'S A DISPARITY, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, UH, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR WORK CATEGORY.
SO IT'S NOT, EVEN THOUGH STUDIES OFTEN USE THE SAME METHODOLOGY, THEY'RE NOT DUPLICATING BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT DATA.
SO, UH, JUST FOLLOWING UP ON WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN WAS, WAS ASKING ABOUT.
SO, UH, WITH REGARD TO COUNCIL MEMBER SPONSORED ITEMS MM-HMM
THE REQUIREMENT THAT IT, THAT THE ITEM BE LAWFUL MM-HMM
WOULD, UH, CITY ATTORNEY'S JUDGMENT THAT AN ITEM IS NOT LAWFUL, KEEP A COUNCIL MEMBER SPONSORED ITEM FROM BEING PLACED ON THE AGENDA, IN YOUR OPINION OR NOT? UH, IT, IT, IT COULD, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE, THE LANGUAGE OF THE, UH, OF THE CHARTER AMENDMENT SAYS ANY LAWFUL ITEM.
BUT AS CITY ATTORNEY, IT'S, THAT'S MY OPINION.
YOU KNOW, CLIENTS OFTEN DO NOT, I'M NOT GONNA SAY OFTEN, BUT THERE ARE TIMES THEY DO NOT FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF THEIR COUNSEL.
SO PEOPLE COULD DISAGREE WITH ME AND PLACE IT ON.
WHO, WHO WOULD MAKE THAT DETERMINATION THEN? IT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO BE, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE COUNCIL, IT WOULD BE A VOTE OF COUNCIL WHETHER SOMETHING GETS PLACED ON THE AGENDA.
ULTIMATELY, IF THERE WERE A DISAGREEMENT WITH, WITH WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY WERE SAYING WAS SAYING.
COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, WHEN YOU WERE RESPONDING TO COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ ABOUT THE DISPARITY STUDY, I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT WORDS YOU USED, BUT THE STUDY DIDN'T CONFORM
[00:45:01]
WITH IT DID.WE HAD A CONTRACT WITH THE CONSULTANT WHERE WE HAD IN THEIR, UM, SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS IF WE WANTED TO SEE AND WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY HAD TO LOOK AT AND TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT WE BELIEVED COMPORTED WITH, WITH THE LAW.
AND IT WAS OUR OPINION THAT THAT HAD NOT BEEN DONE.
SO, UH, WE, WE TOOK ISSUE, WE MADE REQUESTS, REDO IT, INCLUDE THOSE, UH, THAT DID NOT HAPPEN.
AND THAT'S BEEN WHAT WE'VE BEEN THE, THE BACK AND FORTH.
SO BASICALLY WE SAID, YOU DIDN'T DO WHAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DO.
THAT WAS, THAT'S A FAIRLY GOOD SUMMARY.
DID WE PAY 'EM? WE DIDN'T PAY 'EM EVERYTHING, BUT WE PAID THEM A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT.
HOW MUCH DID WE PAY 'EM? I THINK 900,000 OR THEREABOUTS.
WHAT WAS THE ENTIRE AMOUNT? UH, PROBABLY OVER A MILLION, MAYBE.
I THINK IT WAS BELOW, UH, 1.1 MILLION.
SO ESSENTIALLY WE HELD BACK A HUNDRED AND SOME THOUSAND.
UM, GOING BACK TO PROP A AND THE NEED POTENTIALLY FOR ADDITIONAL LEGAL SERVICE SUPPORT MM-HMM
UM, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST FOR, LET'S SAY, ONE, UH, LAWYER TO BE DESIGNATED? MAYBE IT'S A NEW POSITION, UH, AS LEGAL COUNSEL OR LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT FOR CITY COUNCIL? MM-HMM
AND YOU MAY NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT NOW.
I WILL SUBMIT IT FORMALLY, BUT I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, HEY, WE MAY NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THAT IT NOT NECESSARILY FALL ON THE CURRENT CAPACITY OF YOUR OFFICE, GIVEN HOW MUCH YOU ALREADY HAVE TO DEAL WITH, BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW WHAT THE COST OF THAT WOULD BE.
I, I CAN PROBABLY BE MORE DEFINITE.
MY GUESS IS DEPENDING ON THE EXPERIENCE AND WHAT YOU HAVE, IF YOU INCLUDE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THE ADDITIONAL COST WHEN YOU EMPLOY SOMEONE BESIDES STRAIGHT COMPENSATION, IT WOULD BE, UH, BETWEEN 150 AND 200,000.
AND, AND I KNOW IT GIVES OR TAKE, DEPENDING ON IF THEY'RE JUNIOR MM-HMM
OR HOW, YOU KNOW, FAR ALONG THEY ARE.
BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GET THAT RANGE IF WE DID NEED TO, UM, BASICALLY ESTABLISH A LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL IN ADDITION TO OUR FAB, FABULOUS COUNCIL LIAISON.
UM, DO YOU, YOU, YOUR DEPARTMENT ADMINISTERS THE, UM, COLLECTIONS? CONTRACTS? YES.
THE, A VALOREM TAX COLLECTION, LI THERE'S, THERE, THERE'S THAT MODEL WHERE WE HAVE LINEBERGER AND THEN I THINK IT'S A JOINT VENTURE OF PURDUE AND MM-HMM
AND, UM, YEAH, IT'S, UH, IT'S PURDUE GREENBERG TR PUR JOINT GREEN VENTURE, GREENBERG TR UM, SO THEY GET A PERCENTAGE RIGHT.
UH, IT, IT'S ACTUALLY STATUTORY, THEY CAN CHARGE AN AMOUNT ABOVE WHAT'S BEING COLLECTED.
AND, AND DO, ARE WE DOING THE REASSIGNMENTS? AS YOU KNOW HOW I REMEMBER, IT'S ABOUT LIKE IF ONE OUTPERFORMS THE OTHER, WE REASSIGN YEAH.
IT, IT'S DISCRETIONARY TO DO THAT.
THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE IN, IN RECENT YEARS.
THE CONTRACT CURRENTLY, UM, THE JOINT VENTURE AND THE, AND, AND THE OTHER LAW FIRM HAVE AGREED TO EXTEND IT FOR A YEAR.
BECAUSE THE CONTRACT IS AT, ITS, ITS AT, ITS, UH, END RIGHT NOW.
SO THERE WILL, THAT WILL BE COMING UP IN THE, IN THE COMING MONTHS SO THAT IT WILL BE IN PLACE, UH, FOR THE SUBSEQUENT YEAR.
AND, UM, YOU BROUGHT UP THE DRAINAGE, UM, FEE LAWSUIT.
I, I DO RECALL THEM, THE MAYOR INDICATING THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE AN ATTEMPT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT, BUT AN ATTEMPT TO, UM, REACH SOME KIND OF SETTLEMENT.
WHAT, WHAT, IF ANYTHING, CAN YOU SAY ABOUT THAT? UH, I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR AND I HAVE BOTH, UM, SPOKEN TO THE PLAINTIFF'S LAWYERS ON THAT.
UH, THERE ARE QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER IT'S, UH, BACKWARD LOOKING, WHETHER THERE ARE DAMAGES IN THE PAST, WHETHER THEY'RE ENTITLED TO ANY FEES.
BUT, UM, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S ADV, WE'LL PURSUE IT.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT'S ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE CITY, WE'LL COME BACK TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AND, UM, IN LOOKING AT SOME OF THE, THE LINE ITEM DATA, UM, I NOTICED A HALF A MILLION INCREASE IN LEGAL SERVICES IN THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT SECTION.
UM, DO YOU KNOW SPECIFICALLY, AND I COULD ASK THIS IN WRITING, BUT IF, IF Y'ALL KNOW SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT, UM, I, I'LL, I'LL PUT IT IN WRITING.
YES, WE CAN, WE CAN GET IT TO YOU.
UM, I, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE.
[00:50:01]
PRESENTATION.I'M CERTAINLY GRATEFUL WE ALL ARE FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT DOES.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS? NO PUBLIC SPEAKERS THAT WE KNOW OF.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK HERE AND, UH, GOOD JOB.
UM, COLLEAGUES, I KNOW THERE WAS AN EARLIER BUDGET CALENDAR, UM, THAT WAS OUT THAT, THAT INDICATED THAT BUDGET AMENDMENTS WERE DUE, I THINK TOMORROW.
UM, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS EXTENDED THAT, UM, THAT THE WAY WE'RE DOING THE BUDGET NOW.
THE BUDGET'S GOING TO COME ON JUNE 5TH WITH BUDGET AMENDMENTS BROUGHT ON THAT DATE AND VOTED ON THE FOLLOWING WEEK ON THE 12TH.
SO OBVIOUSLY THAT EXTENDS THE, THE TIME PERIOD FOR BUDGET AMENDMENTS UNTIL THE FIFTH.
UH, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS INDICATED THAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT SOMETHING TO MARTA BEFOREHAND TO KIND OF GET THEIR FEEDBACK, UM, BEFORE THE FIFTH, THAT'S ALSO FINE.
SO YOU'RE NOT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BRING 'EM ON THE FIFTH.
YOU CAN PREPARE SOMETHING EARLIER IF YOU WANT IT LOOKED OVER BY THE ADMINISTRATION, OR YOU CAN JUST BRING IT TO THE TABLE ON, UM, JUNE 5TH.
MARTA WILL BE, UH, SENDING OUT THE, UH, TEMPLATE FOR THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE SHARE POINT.
IT'S, IT'S ON SHAREPOINT ALREADY.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT BUDGET AMENDMENTS OR FILLING THEM OUT OR ANY OF IT, UM, PLEASE CONTACT, UM, MY OFFICE OR MARTA AND WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, HELP YOU THROUGH THAT.
SO, UM, WE'LL TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND THEN WE WILL BE, UH, ON TO HPD.