Dec 14, 2020 Special City Commission Meeting

[CALL TO ORDER:]

[00:00:04]

[INAUDIBLE] I HAVE A QUESTION FOR LEVENT.

LEVENT CAN YOU HEAR ME? IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT THE SOUND I'M HEARING ECHOES.

THAT HE'S WORKING ON? THAT'S WHY WE'RE IN RECESS FOR A MOMENT.

VICE MAYOR. OK. OK, SO HE'S WORKING ON IT NOW.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, OK.

I THINK WE SHOULD BE ALL SET NOW.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WE ARE BACK ON THE RECORD AND I SEE THAT I HAVE COMMISSIONER PLACKO'S HAND IS RAISED.

COMMISSIONER PLACKO. I'M SORRY, I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU THAT YOUR AUDIO WAS BAD.

OK, I BELIEVE WE GOT OUR AUDIO IS FIXED, IF YOU WILL LOWER YOUR HAND.

AND NOW. SO THE FIRST TOPIC IS TO DISCUSS THE HIRING, WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO HIRE

[1. Discussion and possible direction related to hiring an in-house attorney or outside firm for City Attorney Services]

AFTER COMMISSION DISCUSSION, WE WILL THEN PROCEED.

SO. DO I HAVE ANYBODY ON THE COMMISSION WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER AT THIS TIME.

COMMISSIONER PLACKO. SORRY I HAVE TO KEEP UNMUTING.

HAVING THOUGHT ABOUT THIS.

I LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING A FIRM REPRESENT US THIS WAY WE HAVE THE EXPERTISE OF SEVERAL ATTORNEYS. NOT EVERY ATTORNEY CAN SPECIALIZE IN EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE GOING ON HERE.

AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO TO PULL FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE.

THAT'S MY OPINION.

AND IN A NUTSHELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

VICE MAYOR VILLALOBOS. I JUST WANT TO GET FEEDBACK FROM OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY, SAM, TO THE MATTER THAT'S ALL.

SO CITY MANAGER, IF YOU WOULD, AND VICE MAYOR IS ASKING YOU FOR YOUR OPINION, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

IS IS EVERYONE ABLE TO HEAR ME OK? YES. GOOD.

THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, VICE MAYOR.

IN SETTING UP THIS MEETING AND REVIEWING THE CHARTER.

THE CITY COMMISSION HAS THE OPTION TO GO EITHER WAY.

WE'VE HAD IT BOTH WAYS IN THE PAST.

WHEN I ORIGINALLY STARTED WITH THE CITY, MITCH [INAUDIBLE] WAS OUR CITY ATTORNEY, VANESSA [INAUDIBLE] WAS OUR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY AND THERE WAS A PARALEGAL AND A ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

AND AS THE COMMISSIONER PLACKO SAID, WHEN MATTERS THAT WERE BEYOND THE SCOPE AND BREADTH OF MITCH [INAUDIBLE] AND MS. [INAUDIBLE] CAME UP, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WOULD HIRE OUTSIDE COUNSEL TO REPRESENT THE CITY. WHEN THE CITY TRANSITIONED FROM MITCH [INAUDIBLE] TO [INAUDIBLE] FIRM, WE ENJOYED, I WOULD SAY, THE BENEFIT OF A LARGER FIRM WITH MORE AND MORE LAWYERS WITH DIFFERENT SPECIALTIES.

I THINK, AS COMMISSIONER PLACKO DESCRIBED, THAT HAS CERTAINLY SERVED US WELL FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS. AS FAR AS IS ONE BETTER THAN THE OTHER OR IS THERE A PREFERENCE? I THINK THAT WHAT MATTERS IS THAT THE CITY GETS THE BEST OF LEGAL REPRESENTATION THAT IT CAN, GIVEN THE COMPLEXITY OF THE MATTERS THAT WE DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS.

BOTH I GUESS METHODS HAVE SERVED THE CITY WELL.

THE MAJORITY OF MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN WITH [INAUDIBLE].

AND HAVING A LAW FIRM BEHIND THE CITY HAS SERVED AS WELL FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT CITIES OF COMPARATIVE SIZE, I THINK IT'S SPLIT PRETTY EQUALLY BETWEEN HAVING AN IN-HOUSE ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THE CITY AND HAVING A FIRM.

AND THAT'S JUST BY LOOKING AT THE CITIES IN BROWARD AND PALM BEACH COUNTY, LIKE I SAID, I

[00:05:06]

AND I BELIEVE IT'S JUST UP TO THE CITY COMMISSIONS AND THE CITY CHARTERS THAT GOVERN THE POSITION. THANK YOU, MR. CERNECH. [INAUDIBLE] CAN YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

CITY ATTORNEY, WOULD YOU PLEASE RESPOND? GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COMMISSION.

THE ANSWER IS THAT REALLY THE DECISION RESTS SOLELY IN YOUR DISCRETION WITH REGARD TO MAKING THIS DECISION, WHETHER IT BE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE, IN-HOUSE OR OUTSIDE COUNSEL.

OBVIOUSLY, FROM THE STANDPOINT THAT WE THINK THE MODEL THAT WE HAVE OFFERED IS ONE THAT WORKS WELL, BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY, NOT JUST FOR THE STAFF, BUT OTHERS IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR RELATIONSHIP THERE.

BUT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THAT MODEL, MR. VICE MAYOR, IT SEEMS TO BE A WORKABLE SOLUTION THAT WOULD BE WORTHY, CERTAINLY, OF YOUR THINKING AND YOUR ANALYSIS FURTHER, BUT [INAUDIBLE] MAKING THAT DECISION SOLELY WITH THE MAYOR AND COMMISSION AND MAKING THE DECISION IN YOUR PROCUREMENT CODE GIVES YOU OPTIONS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT'S A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE.

VICE MAYOR ANYTHING FURTHER? NO, IT'S JUST MY QUESTION WASN'T ANSWERED MY QUESTION IS WHAT LED US TO WHAT LED SAM TO THIS DECISION? THAT IS WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO, SAM.

BUT IF YOU THINK YOU DON'T WANT TO ANSWER THAT, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT I DO UNDERSTAND POINT OF VIEWS, WHETHER IN HOUSE OR OUTSIDE COUNSEL IS NECESSARY.

CITY ATTORNEY, THE DISCRETION IS YOURS.

I THINK A RESIGNATION LETTER SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, AND WE CERTAINLY OFFER THAT UP AS THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION TO THE VICE MAYOR, IT IS SAID WITH GREAT RESPECT AND WITH ADMIRATION FOR THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE AND SHARE AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE AND SHARE GOING FORWARD. SO HAVING SAID THAT, THANK YOU FOR ASKING AND I THINK I'VE GIVEN OUR BEST ANSWER. THANK YOU, SAM.

THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] YOU'RE DONE RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE GOOD.

YEP. COMMISSIONER BOLTON, YOUR HAND WAS RAISED I PUT YOU ON DECK, YOU STILL WISH TO SPEAK. [INAUDIBLE] I'M SORRY ONE MORE TIME PLEASE.

NOT AT THIS TIME. COMMISSIONER GELIN I SEE THAT YOUR MIKE IS OFF, BUT I DON'T SEE YOUR HAND RAISED. IS THAT YOUR DESIRE TO SPEAK? OK, I AM NOT SEEING ANYBODY ELSE ON THE COMMISSION WISHING TO SPEAK.

I AM GOING TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS.

I THINK THAT OUR CITY HAS BEEN SERVED.

COMMISSIONER GELIN IS SAYING THAT HE CANNOT HEAR CAN EVERYBODY ELSE HEAR ME.

OK, IS THERE SOMEBODY IN IT THAT CAN ASSIST COMMISSIONER GELIN SO HE CAN BE ABLE TO HEAR US? MADAM MAYOR, IF YOU CAN GIVE ME LIKE FIVE MINUTES TO RUN FROM THE CHAMBER INTO COMMISSIONER GELINS OFFICE, I THINK I CAN HELP.

OK, THAT WILL BE FINE.

EVERYBODY IT IS 9:10, WE'RE TAKING A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.

WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE AT 9:15.

WE ARE IN RECESS. THANK YOU.

WE'LL START AGAIN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS 9:15, WE'RE BACK ON THE RECORD AND AT LAST BEFORE BREAK I WAS WONDERING IF COMMISSIONER GELIN HAD ANYTHING YOU WISH TO SHARE.

YOU ARE ON MUTE. YEAH NO, I DON'T BELIEVE WE SHOULD HIRE AN IN-HOUSE ATTORNEY.

NO NEED TO PAY ADDITIONAL PENSION COSTS, SALARIES, BENEFITS.

SO I DON'T THINK THAT MAKES SENSE.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, I'M NOT SEEING ANYBODY ELSE'S HANDS RAISED FROM THE COMMISSION.

I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE BEEN SERVED VERY WELL BY SAM'S FIRM AND THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO BE SERVED WELL BY HAVING AN OUTSIDE COUNSEL [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M SEEING THAT.

OK, EVERYONE, NOW I'M MUTED AGAIN.

IN MY OPINION AS WELL, I FEEL THAT WE [INAUDIBLE] FIRM.

AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A CONSENSUS FOR CITY ATTORNEY.

DO WE NEED A MOTION? CITY ATTORNEY.

[00:10:13]

AND IT'S AN OPTION WHICH YOU CAN LEGALLY CONSIDER AS WELL.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO HIRE OUTSIDE COUNSEL LOOKING TO HIRE OUTSIDE COUNSEL.

MOVE [INAUDIBLE] HIRE OUTSIDE COUNCIL.

COMMISSIONER GELIN YOU'RE ON MUTE AGAIN.

WHAT IS THE MOTION? I'M ASKING YOU IF SOMEBODY WISHES TO MAKE A MOTION REGARDING TO MOVE OUR STEPS FORWARD AS HIRING OUTSIDE COUNSEL.

INSTEAD OF GOING WITH IN-HOUSE COUNSEL.

OK. IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND IS THERE UNLESS YOU WANT TO DO CONSENSUS, BUT WE NEED TO STILL HAVE THIS MOVED FORWARD.

[INAUDIBLE] RAISE YOUR HAND OR SOMEBODY [INAUDIBLE].

SO CONSIDERING THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSION HAS SAID THAT AN OUTSIDE COUNSEL IS THEIR BEST INTEREST FOR THE CITY.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AN OUTSIDE COUNSEL.

IS THERE A SECOND.

SECOND. THANK YOU.

CITY CLERK WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER BOLTON.

YES.

COMMISSIONER PLACKO. COMMISSIONER PLACKO? [INAUDIBLE] COMMISSIONER GELIN. YES.

VICE MAYOR VILLALOBOS.

YES. AND MAYOR GOMEZ. YES.

THE MOTION PASSES FOUR TO ZERO, THANK YOU.

[INAUDIBLE] I SEE THAT COMMISSIONER PLACKO IS ON, I'M NOT SURE IF SHE'S HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES AS WELL.

ALL RIGHT. BRING THIS MATTER TO DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE DIRECTION RELATED TO THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS OF CITY SERVICES.

ANYONE ON TO COMMISSION WISHING TO SPEAK? MADAM MAYOR I DO.

WE HAVE TRY TO RAISE THE LITTLE HAND THING AND THEN I SEE YOU, BUT GO AHEAD VICE MAYOR.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE PROCESS OF OUTSOURCING OUTSIDE COUNSEL, PLEASE, SO IF YOU CAN I CAN SEARCH THIS QUESTION. MR.

[2. Discussion and possible direction related to the procurement process of City Attorney Services (Part 1 of 2)]

CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY. A LITTLE GARBLED, BUT YES, OK, OK.

I'M SORRY I HAD TO SWITCH IT UP HERE.

I MAY HAVE BEEN THE SOURCE OF SOME OF THE BACKGROUND NOISE THAT YOU WERE HEARING EARLIER.

SO MR. GLASS IS ON WITH US AS WELL.

THE PROCUREMENT OF LEGAL SERVICES IS THIS JUST THAT? IT'S PROCUREMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.

IT'S NOT DIRECTLY, I DON'T BELIEVE, GOVERNED BY THE CODE IN THE SAME MANNER AS ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS AND THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES THAT WE TYPICALLY PROVIDE FOR.

I THINK THERE'S TWO THINGS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH THE NEXT TWO ITEMS. THE FIRST IS, YOU KNOW, AS YOUR STAFF, WE WOULD ON YOUR BEHALF SOLICIT PROPOSALS FROM LAW FIRMS THAT WOULD SEEK TO REPRESENT THE CITY FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AT A FUTURE MEETING.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT PROCESS CAN BE FACILITATED BETWEEN NOW AND JANUARY NINE, WHICH IS THE RESIGNATION DATE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S FIRM.

AND SO WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED AN ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA TO DISCUSS INTERIM SERVICES.

BUT I GUESS IN THE SIMPLEST OF TERMS AND AGAIN, MR. GLASS CAN CHIME IN HERE BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY HIS AREA OF EXPERTISE, BUT WE WOULD SEE PROPOSALS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COMMISSION FOR CITY ATTORNEY SERVICES.

WE WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO REVIEW THOSE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY MET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, WHICH WE WILL SET FOR YOU, AND THEN WE WILL PRESENT THOSE TO YOU IN A FORMAT, I GUESS THAT'S YET TO BE DETERMINED AT SOME POINT IN TIME IN THE FUTURE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. AND I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST, AGAIN, WE HAVEN'T DONE THIS FOR A LONG TIME.

SO IN THE PAST, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF FIRMS THAT WERE INTERESTED.

I KNOW THAT THE CITY COMMISSION INTERVIEWED SOME OF THOSE FIRMS, BOTH PUBLICLY AND

[00:15:06]

BUT THE PROCESS WAS CERTAINLY A PUBLIC AND A TRANSPARENT PROCESS, WHICH IS WHAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND TO YOU AGAIN, THE RESULT BEING IF MY MEMORIES, RIGHT, THE CITY COMMISSION AT THE TIME HIRED SAM AND HIS FIRM TO DO THE INTERIM WORK AND THEN AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME, DECIDED TO CONTINUE WITH THEM ON A FULL TIME AND PERMANENT BASIS.

SO THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF TO YOU THIS MORNING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

OBVIOUSLY, THE STAFF WILL FACILITATE A PROCESS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COMMISSION TO GATHER THE NECESSARY PROPOSALS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.

AND THEN THERE'S A DISCUSSION TO BE HAD ABOUT INTERIM SERVICES AND HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT PROCURING THOSE SERVICES AS WELL.

AND MR. GLASS, I KNOW YOU'RE ON THE LINE WITH US.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT AT THIS POINT.

GOOD MORNING.

KEITH GLASS PURCHASING CONTRACTS MANAGER, IF I MAY, TO THE CHAIR.

GOOD MORNING. YES, THE PROCUREMENT OF LEGAL SERVICES UNDER OUR CODE IS FULLY EXEMPT FROM THE TAMARAC PROCUREMENT CODE AND YOU'LL FIND IN YOUR BACKUP THE LAST ITEM IS THE SECTION SIX, DASH ONE FORTY EIGHT OF THE CITY CODE.

AND NOTE THAT IT'S IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH, THAT FIRST PARAGRAPH THAT YOU SEE IN THAT PARTICULAR SECTION OF THE CODE WAS ACTUALLY MIRRORING THE STATE OF FLORIDA'S STATUTE.

I BELIEVE. I BELIEVE THAT'S INCLUDED SOMEWHERE.

I BELIEVE SAM CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG IN CHAPTER 287 OF THE STATE STATUTE.

IT IS. AND THAT STATUTE SPECIFICALLY EXEMPTED THIS FROM THE CODE, AND THIS MAKES THE ENTIRE ACQUISITION PROCESS FOR CITY ATTORNEY YOUR PROCESS AS WE DID IN 15 YEARS AGO, I BELIEVE.

I BELIEVE THERE WERE SOME WAS INTEREST WAS COLLECTED AND THEN THE COMMISSION CHOSE TO HAVE ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY EACH OF THE INDIVIDUAL FIRMS THAT WERE INTERESTED.

I THINK IT WAS ONLY DONE BY A LETTER AT THE TIME.

YOU CAN DO THAT. THE ONLY SUGGESTION I WOULD MADE IF YOU DECIDE TO USE JUST A LETTER IS THAT YOU ADVERTISE IT, AT LEAST IN THE [INAUDIBLE] AT LEAST ONE TIME, SO THAT EVERYTHING IS COMPLETELY VALIDATED UNDER OUR OWN CODE.

BUT WE HAVE A VEHICLE, IF YOU NEED THAT, WE CAN UTILIZE TO ISSUE A DOCUMENT ISSUE A REQUEST TO THE FIRMS, WE WOULD WELCOME YOUR INPUT AS TO FIRMS WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT IT, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHO ALL THE FIRMS ARE HERE IN OUR OFFICE.

YOU HAVE YOUR CONTACTS.

YOU MAY KNOW BETTER THAN WE DO WHO SOME OF THOSE FIRMS ARE EVEN IN MAKING IT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. THERE'S STILL SOME FIRMS THAT COULD SLIP THROUGH.

SO IF YOU HAVE FIRMS THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HAVING SUBMIT THEIR QUALIFICATIONS, THEN THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

WHAT WE WOULD DO INITIALLY IS WE WOULD PROBABLY NOT ASK FOR ANY PRICING.

WE WOULD ONLY ASK FOR QUALIFICATIONS, WE WOULD ISSUE WHAT WE CALL A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO HOW WE HANDLE OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, BUT IT IS AN OPEN ENDED, FLEXIBLE PROCESS, AND THE PRICING CONSIDERATIONS WOULD COME INTO PLAY AFTER YOU'VE CHOSEN WHO YOU FEEL IS THE FIRM THAT YOU WANT TO NEGOTIATE PRICING WITH, THEN THAT POINT WOULD BEGIN THE NEGOTIATION OF PRICE.

THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT'S CHANGED SINCE WE MADE THE ACQUISITION 15 YEARS AGO IS THAT NOW WHEN YOU BRING THE INDIVIDUAL FIRMS IN FOR ORAL PRESENTATIONS, THOSE MEETINGS THEMSELVES PER SAY ARE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE RECORDED.

AND THE RECORDINGS OF THOSE MEETINGS HAVE TO THEN BE MADE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, I BELIEVE IS 30 DAYS.

AND SO. [INAUDIBLE] IF I HAVEN'T MISSPOKEN IN ANY LEGAL ASPECTS OF IT, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH HOW THE PROCESS WORKS.

[00:20:01]

THANK YOU DIRECTOR GLASS.

[INAUDIBLE] COMMISSIONER PLACKO. THANK YOU, MR. GOREN MIGHT WE ASK YOU TO EXTEND YOUR RESIGNATION DATE LONGER THAN JANUARY 9TH WITH THE HOLIDAYS, THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY AND THE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY? IT REALLY DOES NOT GIVE US MUCH TIME.

MIGHT YOU CONSIDER THAT? WE CONSIDER THAT. COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU.

I'M SORRY, I COULDN'T HEAR THE ANSWER.

WE WOULD CONSIDER THAT COMMISSIONER THROUGH THE MAYOR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I CANNOT MAKE A COMMITMENT ON THE RECORD THIS MORNING, BUT WE WILL CONSIDER YOUR REQUEST IN THE SAME GOOD FAITH REQUEST IN THE SAME GOOD FAITH MANNER WE WILL RESPOND.

I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER GELIN.

YEAH, JUST TO FURTHER ANSWER VICE MAYOR VILLALOBOS QUESTION AND EXPOUND ON WHAT THE PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ENTIRELY OUR PROCESS SO WE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING. WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE LETTERS OF INTEREST.

WE DON'T HAVE TO DO A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS.

WE CAN HIRE A FIRM THERE IS PLENTY OF OTHER CITY ATTORNEY FIRMS THAT ARE SERVICING OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE.

WE CAN PICK A FIRM AND ASK THAT A FIRM OR AN INDIVIDUAL BE THE INTERIM.

WE CAN STIPULATE THAT WHOEVER IS THE INTERIM CANNOT BE THE FULL TIME CITY ATTORNEY AND TRULY HAVE AN ATTORNEY THAT DOES INTERIM SERVICES.

BUT WE DIRECT WHAT GOES ON FROM HERE SO WE DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE OUTCOME IS THAT WE WANT. SO WE CAN JUST SIMPLY HIRE AN INTERIM.

WE CAN TAKE LETTERS OF INTEREST FOR THE INTERIM ROLE LETTERS OF INTEREST FOR THE FULL TIME CITY ATTORNEY ROLE.

AND WE DICTATE AND DETERMINE THE PROCESS.

SO THIS IS COMPLETELY OUTSIDE OF STAFF'S CONTROL.

THIS IS THE ONE OF THE TWO AREAS WHERE WE HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE PROCESS AND WE NEED TO COLLECTIVELY DETERMINE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND THEN MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE.

AND THEN WE DIRECT STAFF ON WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT.

SO THIS IS ENTIRELY OUR PROCESS, ONE OF THE FEW THINGS WE HAVE FULL CONTROL OF AND WE SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HIRED THE BEST ATTORNEY AND BEST FIRM FOR THE CITY. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARITY.

I [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER BOLTON.

THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. I CONCUR WITH COMMISSIONER GELIN WHEN I GOT ELECTED IN 2016, I DID SOME RESEARCH AS TO WHAT MY ROLE IS.

THE CITY MANAGER MAY RECALL THAT I HAD SOME CONFLICT WITH WHAT MY ROLE SHOULD OR COULD HAVE BEEN.

COMING IN I THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONERS LIKE I SAW TAMARAC COMMISSIONERS DOING WAS TAKING PICTURES AND GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND FEEDING THE HOMELESS AND LOOKING AFTER SENIORS AND THAT SORT OF STUFF.

UNDERSTANDING MY ROLE IN A BETTER WAY THAT FIRST MONTH WAS TO NUMBER ONE, BALANCE THE BUDGET, HIRE AND FIRE THE CITY MANAGER, HIRE AND FIRE THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND ABOVE THAT WE ARE POLICY MAKERS.

SO IN THIS PROCESS, WE ARE TO BE IN CONTROL OF THE ENTIRE PROCESS.

THAT IS OUR ROLE. AND I BELIEVE THAT IF WE RELY ON SOME OTHER ROLE THAT WE'RE NEGLECTING OUR DUTIES AS CITY COMMISSIONERS.

WE HAVE THAT PREROGATIVE TO FIRE AND HIRE A CITY MANAGER AND FIND OUR CITY ATTORNEY.

AND WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BALANCING THE BUDGET.

PERIOD. POINT BLANK. THAT IS OUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY HERE AS COMMISSIONERS.

EVERYTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW, IS JUST ADDED STUFF.

SO I CONCUR WITH COMMISSIONER GELIN.

WE DO NOT HAVE TO ELECT THE PROCESS THAT MR.

[00:25:02]

THERE ARE A MYRIAD OF CITY ATTORNEYS WHO WOULD LOVE TO REPRESENT THE CITY JUST AS WONDERFULLY AS SAM DID OVER HIS 15 YEARS.

SAM KNOWS FULL WELL THAT I DO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HE OR HIS FIRM OR HIS PROFESSIONAL ATTITUDE.

HE'S ALWAYS BEEN PROFESSIONAL AND CORDIAL AND VERY ATTENTIVE TO THE ISSUES HERE IN THE CITY. SO TO THE UNIVERSE THAT MIGHT BE LISTENING, THINKING THAT SAM IS A HORRIBLE ATTORNEY. HE'S NOT. WE JUST DISAGREE ON ONE SUBJECT AND THAT IS THE STORAGE FACILITY.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE'VE EVER DISAGREED ON A SUBJECT BEFORE, AND I FEEL THAT IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO FIGHT FOR MY RESIDENTS IN THIS REGARD.

SO LET US CONTINUE TO DISCUSS OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN FIND OR HIRE CITY ATTORNEY SERVICES.

THE [INAUDIBLE] LIKE THE RFQ PROCESS.

SO I THINK IF EVERYBODY IS ON BOARD WITH THAT, WE CAN THEN DRILL DOWN EXACTLY HOW THE RFQ PROCESS WOULD WORK.

SO I'M THERE AT THIS TIME.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

SO I AGREE THAT I ON SAM AND HIS FIRM AND THE COMMENTS MADE THAT HE HAS SERVED OUR CITY VERY WELL. I DO THINK THAT IT IS OUR DECISION.

IT IS MOST DEFINITELY THE COMMISSION'S DECISION.

HOWEVER, I THINK THAT WE DO NEED A LITTLE ASSISTANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS A CLEAN PROCESS. WE ALREADY HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED.

AND TAKE THAT AS A COMPLIMENT TO EVERYBODY HERE IN THE CITY, INCLUDING YOU AND YOUR FIRM, SAM, THAT PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN SERVING OUR CITY, AND AS SUCH, I DO THINK WE NEED A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS.

I THINK WE NEED IT TO BE NARROWED DOWN BY THE CITY STAFF WHO DIRECTLY WORKS WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THEN CAN BRING US WE CAN DETERMINE A NUMBER OF RESUMES AND HOW MANY TO LOOK AT. AND AS THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG PROCESS AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NARROWED DOWN UNLESS THIS COMMISSION IS READY FOR 20 TO 30 INTERVIEW PROCESSES TO GO THROUGH, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME PROCESSES, AS DIRECTOR GLASS HAS ADVISED US. SO WE NEED TO FOCUS IT TO BE SOMETHING THAT WILL NOT JUST BE A TIME WASTER FOR EVERYBODY, INCLUDING THE APPLICANTS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE APPLYING.

[3. Discussion and possible direction related to retaining City Attorney Services on an interim basis]

WE WANT TO DO AN INTERIM THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE SOMEONE OR AN ORGANIZATION THAT WILL APPLY FOR THE FULL TIME POSITION, OR DO WE WANT TO JUST NOT HAVE AN INTERIM OR HAVE AN INTERIM THAT IS ALLOWED TO APPLY FOR THE FULL TIME POSITION OR JUST GO STRAIGHT TO A FULL TIME CITY ATTORNEY FIRM, SO THAT I THINK WE SHOULD DISCUSS BEFORE WE GET INTO THE DETAILS OF THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.

BECAUSE KEEPING IN MIND WHATEVER PROCESS WE DO, WE PROBABLY SHOULD BE DOING IT FOR BOTH IF WE'RE DOING A PROCUREMENT FOR AN INTERIM OR NOT, AND THEN A FULL TIME.

COMMISSIONER GELIN AND I'M SURE YOUR HAND IS RAISED REGARDING MY COMMENTS BECAUSE YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT MY COMMENTS.

BUT WE'RE MOVING AWAY FROM THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS RIGHT NOW.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS REGARDING PROCURING AN INTERIM OR NOT INTERIM, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSED FIRST, PLEASE.

YOU'RE ON MUTE.

I ALREADY EXPRESSED MY OPINION ON THAT AND I'LL RESTATE IT AGAIN.

SO FIRST, THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A LONG PROCESS.

THERE ARE FIRMS THAT ARE INTERESTED AND HAVE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO US.

I LIKE THE LETTERS OF INTEREST.

WE KNOW THE FIRMS ARE QUALIFIED.

WE KNOW YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BAR LICENSE.

WE KNOW WE WANT FIRMS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE SO WE CAN HAVE A LETTER OF INTEREST.

AND WE CAN DO THAT FOR BOTH THE CITY ATTORNEY ROLE AND FOR THE INTERIM ROLE.

I THINK THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO IS FIND AN INTERIM AND WE CAN DO A QUICK LETTER OF INTEREST PROCESS. WE CAN HAVE A 48 HOUR TURNAROUND TIME THEIR FIRM THAT WOULD NOT MIND DOING IT FOR THE SHORT TERM ROLE AND NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE FULL TIME OPPORTUNITY,

[00:30:01]

AND SO WE SHOULD HAVE A TRUE INTERIM THAT WILL DO AN INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS AND THEN PROVIDE THE CITY COMMISSION AND THE UPCOMING CITY ATTORNEY A REPORT.

ANOTHER THING WE SHOULD HAVE IS WE SHOULD HAVE A REPORT OF ALL THE OUTSTANDING ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON, ALL THE OUTSTANDING CASES.

YOU KNOW, THE CITY ATTORNEY REPORTS TO US, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY DOCUMENTATION IN TERMS OF WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT WHAT CASES WERE CLOSED THIS YEAR VERSUS WHAT CLOSED LAST YEAR, WHAT A LONG TERM ONGOING CASES IS.

SO I'D LIKE TO SEE A REPORT OF THAT.

AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MOST RECENT RFQS OR LETTERS OF INTEREST THAT WERE DONE BY OTHER CITIES THAT RECENTLY PROCURED ATTORNEY SERVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST SMALLER FIRMS. BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE WAY RFP LANGUAGE IS WRITTEN IT'S WRITTEN IN A WAY WHERE IT DISCOURAGES SMALLER AND MINORITY FIRMS FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE PROCESS.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER DOCUMENT WE ISSUE, WHETHER IT'S AN RFQ OR LETTER OF INTEREST, IS OPEN TO EVERYONE.

AND AGAIN, THIS FALLS OUTSIDE OF THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.

SO EVEN IF WE GET 20 OR 40 APPLICATIONS, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE CAN JUST PICK THEIR TOP FIVE OR THEIR TOP 10. IF THEY MATCH, THEN WE PICK AMONG THAT.

SO I'M GOING TO PUT A POINT OF ORDER TO THIS.

THE QUESTION WAS REGARDING INTERIM, WE'RE NOT INTERIM.

I SAID WE SHOULD HAVE AN INTERIM.

EXACTLY. SO THAT'S WHERE I WANT TO NARROW IT DOWN.

I'M SURE YOU'LL RESTATE WHAT YOUR COMMENTS ARE AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT MORE AFTERWARDS.

SO WE'RE ON FOR AT LEAST COMMISSIONER GELIN HAS DIRECTED THAT HE WOULD PREFER AN INTERIM ATTORNEY WHO IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS TO BECOME A FULL TIME ATTORNEY. ANYONE ELSE ON THE COMMISSION? COMMISSIONER BOLTON? I BELIEVE THAT IF WE HAVE AN INTERIM FIRM, THAT THEY SHOULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN BECOMING THE CITY ATTORNEY BECAUSE THAT CITY ATTORNEY WOULD BE THE FIRM THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO RELY ON TO WRITE THE PROCESS TO FIND THE CITY ATTORNEY.

SO THAT INTERIM ATTORNEY WOULD BE AT A DISADVANTAGE IN WRITING THEMSELVES IN.

SO IF THEY'RE GOING TO OFFER THEIR SERVICES IN AN INTERIM BASIS, I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS ALL THAT THEY SHOULD DO.

SO WHOEVER IS CHOSEN AS AN INTERIM ATTORNEY, IF WE GO THAT ROUTE, SHOULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS TO BECOME THE CITY ATTORNEY AT ANY POINT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COMMISSIONER PLACKO I SEE YOUR MICROPHONE OFF, BUT I DON'T SEE YOUR HAND. IS THAT A DESIRE TO SPEAK? YES. PLEASE PROCEED.

THANK YOU. I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES.

I DO THINK WE SHOULD HAVE AN INTERIM AND I DON'T BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR THE FULL TIME JOB. THANK YOU.

VICE MAYOR, I SEE YOU'RE REACHING.

GO AHEAD. IS THIS INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY WILL CORRELATE WITH OUR WITH SAM'S FIRM FOR AN EXTENSION, IF WE WERE TO CONSIDER AN EXTENSION OR WHAT ARE WE? ARE YOU ASKING THAT IF SAM'S FIRM SHOULD DECIDE TO CONTINUE TO REMAIN ON AS THE INTERIM ATTORNEY, IF THAT WOULD BE ALLOWABLE OR ALONG THE PROCESS WOULD BE [INAUDIBLE]? RIGHT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT? I JUST WANT CLARITY ON THAT.

SO OK, CHANGE ONE SECOND ON THAT ONE.

BEFORE PEOPLE FALL OFF YOUR CHAIRS.

I DO AGREE WITH MY ENTIRE COMMISSION THAT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE AN INTERIM ATTORNEY THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE ON.

THE LIST OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE SEEKING OR FIRMS THAT WILL BE SEEKING TO BE OUR FULL TIME ATTORNEY IN THE FUTURE.

SO THAT BEING SAID, NOW TO THE COMMISSION, THE QUESTION IS THIS.

IF SAM'S FIRM WITHIN A TIME SURGE TO DETERMINE THAT IT WISHES TO REMAIN ON AS OUR INTERIM ATTORNEY UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT WE HIRE A FULL TIME ATTORNEY.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, VICE MAYOR? YES, BECAUSE LET'S SAY SAM DOES NOT CONSIDER THAT, WHERE [INAUDIBLE]? THE CITY, THE CURRENT CITY ATTORNEY WOULD TRANSITION SERVICES TO THE INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY. AND THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.

MADAM MAYOR, WHEN WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED WITH THE CONVERSATION TO RESPOND TO THE SEVERAL BITS AND PIECES, I'M HAPPY TO TRY TO RESPOND IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT THE FLORIDA BAR RULES REQUIRE. OK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CITY ATTORNEY? YES, YOU'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE FROM AN ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE, AND THAT IS THAT WE WILL FOLLOW THE FLORIDA BAR RULES.

IT DOES REQUIRE A TRANSITION BETWEEN OUR OFFICE AND A FUTURE, WHETHER IT BE AN INTERIM ATTORNEY OR ANOTHER SOURCE OF LEGAL SERVICES, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO ESSENTIALLY

[00:35:02]

SO LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT THE FACT THAT AS A MATTER OF MY ETHICAL OBLIGATIONS, MY LAW FIRM'S ETHICAL OBLIGATIONS AND OUR MUTUAL COMMITMENT TO DOING THAT, THAT IS A GIVEN AND THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE BAR RULES TO REQUIRE THAT THERE BE AN ADEQUATE AND THOROUGH TRANSITION BETWEEN FIRMS, WHETHER IT BE AN INTERIM LAWYER OR SOME OTHER COMPONENT THAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING. AND TO THAT END, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT IN WHATEVER FORM OR FASHION MAKES SENSE TO THE CITY, TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND TO THE TRANSITION OF FILES AND SUCH THAT I JUST DESCRIBED.

YOU'RE ALL ACCURATE ABOUT THE NEED TO DO THAT.

AND WE CERTAINLY WILL COMPLY WITH THAT AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE OBLIGATIONS THAT ARE REQUIRED AS WELL. THANK YOU.

SO. VICE MAYOR, DO YOU HAVE YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED NOW ON THAT PART? OK. COMMISSIONER GELIN, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK FURTHER TO? THE REQUEST THAT HAS BEEN MADE THAT THE INTERIM ATTORNEY AT THIS TIME BE THIS CURRENT CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UNTIL SUCH TIME, WE FIND A FULL TIME CITY ATTORNEY.

YOU'RE ON MUTE. NO, I THINK WE SHOULD FIND A TRULY INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY THAT'S GOING TO BE INDEPENDENT AND THEN THAT CITY SO THAT SO THE INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY WILL TRANSITION WITH THE CURRENT CITY ATTORNEY.

AND THEN ONCE WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF SELECTING A FULL TIME CITY ATTORNEY, THERE WILL BE A SECOND TRANSITION FROM THE INTERIM TO THE TO THE NEW CITY ATTORNEY.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR OPINION, COMMISSIONER BOLTON.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. MY COMMENTS MADE BEFORE.

YOU KNOW, STILL STANDS IN THIS PROCESS, I THINK THAT SAM'S FIRM HAS SERVED THE CITY WELL AND THEY HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT KIND TO ME AND TO THE CITY.

I BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE SHOWED THAT THEY ARE VERY COMPETENT AND THAT THEY CAN HANDLE THE MATTERS OF THE CITY WELL.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M THINKING AND GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS FAIRLY AND NOT RECKLESSLY SO BECAUSE WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY THROUGH DISCUSSION, HAD CONSENSUS THAT THE INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY WOULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING OUR FUTURE ATTORNEY.

I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT WANT TO CLOSE THE DOOR ON A FUTURE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAM'S FIRM.

AND I KNOW THAT THIS SCHOOL OF THOUGHT MADE ME THINK THAT I'M ADVERSE TO HIS FIRM.

I'M NOT.

I THINK THAT HIS FIRM HAS DONE GOOD WORK.

SO IF HE IS THE INTERIM ATTORNEY, I WOULD NOT WANT THAT CLAUSE OF NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE FUTURE PROCESS TO BE THERE.

IF HE IS NOT THE INTERIM ATTORNEY, THEN I WOULD ASK THAT THE CLAUSE FOR NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE FUTURE BID FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY BE THERE.

SO. SO THAT'S MY THOUGHT PROCESS.

IF SAM'S GOING TO BE THE INTERIM ATTORNEY THEN I WANT TO STRIKE THE LANGUAGE THAT SAYS HIS FIRM CANNOT BID FOR THE POSITION IN THE FUTURE.

AGAIN, BECAUSE I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH HIS FIRM.

I HAD AN ISSUE WITH THAT PARTICULAR SUBJECT MATTER THAT WAS DISCUSSED ON THE LAST MEETING. SO IF SAM CANNOT HEAR RIGHT NOW ON THE RECORD, YOU KNOW, OFFERING THESE SERVICES FOR ON AN INTERIM BASIS, THEN WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD IN FINDING AN INTERIM ATTORNEY WHO WOULD NOT. WHO WOULD NOT BE A PART OF THE BID PROCESS FOR BECOMING OUR CITY ATTORNEY . I HOPE I'M CLEAR. IF I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY, SO I'M GOING TO RESTATE AND YOU CAN LET ME KNOW, PLEASE. BASICALLY, YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT IS YOUR OPINION YOU WOULD LIKE THE CURRENT CITY ATTORNEY TO BE ABLE TO BE INTERIM [INAUDIBLE] AND STILL BE ABLE TO BID FOR THE PROCESS OF REMAINING TO BE OUR CITY ATTORNEY.

IF THE CURRENT CITY ATTORNEY DOES NOT WISH TO BE THE INTERIM ATTORNEY, THEN WHOEVER IS

[00:40:02]

IS THAT CORRECT? ALMOST, [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER] SO, IF SAM IS THE INTERIM ATTORNEY, THEN I WOULD WANT TO STRIKE THE CLAUSE THAT SAYS THAT HE CANNOT BID FOR THE FUTURE WORK.

IF HE IS NOT THE INTERIM ATTORNEY, THEN I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE CLAUSE FOR THE INTERIM ATTORNEY.

NOT BEING ABLE TO BID FOR THE FUTURE CITY ATTORNEY ROLE.

I THINK I'M.

I THINK WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE. RIGHT.

BUT THE CAVEAT IS THAT THAT SAM WOULD HAVE TO OFFER UP HIS SERVICES UNEQUIVOCALLY TO BE THE INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY TODAY.

IT CANNOT BE OFF THE RECORD OR SOMEWHERE ELSE OTHERWISE.

AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE [INAUDIBLE] ON THE RECORD.

I BELIEVE. FOR MY LEVEL OF COMFORT.

UNDERSTOOD. I BELIEVE, THOUGH.

AND I'LL THROW IT BACK TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.

HE SPEAKS ON BEHALF OF THE FIRM SO HE MIGHT HAVE A PROCESS IN HIS OWN OFFICE.

BUT I WILL LET THE CITY ATTORNEY ANSWER HIS OWN QUESTION.

SORRY ABOUT THAT, SAM. GO AHEAD.

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COMMISSION.

IN LISTENING TO YOUR COMMENTS AND TRYING TO GIVE YOU MY BEST ADVICE AND HAVING YET CONFER WITH MY OWN LAW PARTNERS WITHIN MY OWN OFFICE.

A COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS THAT MAY HELP YOU IF WE ARE THE CITY ATTORNEY SO THAT A REDESIGNATION AS THE INTERIM IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE CURRENT DESIGNATION.

OUR RESIGNATION WAS PROVIDED IN GOOD FAITH UNDER A CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY EFFECTIVE IN 30 DAYS.

WE ARE NOT PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN GOING BEYOND THAT DATE AND CERTAINLY WOULD FOLLOW THE BAR RULES TO THE EXTENT OF MAKING ABSOLUTELY, UNEQUIVOCALLY SURE THAT THERE'S NO GAP IN SERVICE PROVIDED TO YOU IN ANY MANNER REGARDING ANYTHING WHICH IS PENDING, BUT THERE IS PERHAPS TO YOUR BETTER INTERESTS, AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME INTERIM OBJECTIVE LEGAL COUNSEL. AND THERE ARE MANY IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES VERY WELL TO BE A TRANSITION BETWEEN OUR OFFICE AND A FUTURE DECISION, WHICH YOU'VE YET TO MAKE, BECAUSE THE DECISION TO ENGAGE A FUTURE LAWYER MAY TAKE MORE TIME THAN NOT.

AND AN INTERIM LAWYER WHO COULD POTENTIALLY FILL IN WHATEVER GAPS WOULD OCCUR BETWEEN OUR OFFICE'S SEPARATION AND THE ENGAGEMENT BY THE CITY OF THE FUTURE FIRM WOULD BE, I THINK, A USEFUL ISSUE AND MIGHT BE VERY WELL ETHICALLY SOUND AS WELL.

SO I OFFER THAT UP AS MY BEST ANSWER AND TO WHATEVER END WE WILL, UNDER AND UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE DISENGAGE AND NOT OTHERWISE TRANSITION FILES OR PENDING MATTERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN GEAR.

AND THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT REQUIRE ATTENTION AND THE BAR RULES REQUIRE THAT WE DO THAT, WHICH WE WILL DO. SO THAT'S MY HOPEFULLY CLEAR ANSWER WITH REGARD TO YOUR DISCUSSIONS UNDERWAY THIS MORNING. THANK YOU, SAM.

I WILL BRING IT BACK TO COMMISSIONER BOLTON BECAUSE HE WAS ON THE FLOOR.

BUT I'M GOING TO ASK FOR CLARIFICATION.

WAS THAT A NOTE TO THE INTERIM ATTORNEY ROLE OR IS THAT I NEED TO TALK TO MY FIRM OR I'M SORRY, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A HARD DATE FOR YOUR RESIGNATION, BUT I MISSED.

I THINK IT WOULD BEHOOVE THE COMMISSION TO ENGAGE AN INTERIM COUNCIL TRANSITION, BECAUSE I'M HEARING FROM THE COMMISSIONERS THE NEED TO TRANSITION AWAY FROM OUR LAW FIRM, GIVEN OUR RESIGNATION AGAIN, GIVEN IN GOOD FAITH TO THE CITY AND GIVEN THE COMMENTARY OF MANY OF YOU THIS MORNING. SO IF THAT BE THE WISH, WE WILL BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH A WITH AN INTERIM COUNCIL.

TRANSITION OUR WORK TO THAT PERSON AND MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER TIME THIS COMMISSION NEEDS TO MAKE A SELECTION OF A SIGNIFICANT ORDER, YOU WON'T FEEL COMPRESSED TO DOING SO.

AND YOU WILL HAVE THE COMFORT OF KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE AN INTERIM ATTORNEY THAT'S SERVING YOUR BETTER INTERESTS. GIVEN THIS DISCUSSION AND GIVEN THE DESIGNATION TO TRANSITION TO ANOTHER FIRM, ONCE YOU MAKE THAT DECISION, IS THAT MORE HELPFUL MADAM MAYOR.

I HOPE THAT IT IS. IT IS.

I JUST I THINK I HEARD COMMENTS TO THE CONTRARY ABOUT WISHES FOR YOU TO BE AN INTERIM.

BUT YOU HAD EXPRESSED YOUR DESIRES, YOUR OPINIONS ON BEHALF OF THE FIRM.

AND THAT'S UNDERSTOOD.

COMMISSIONER BOLTON? OK, SO WHAT I THINK I HEARD MR. GOREN SAYING.

WHAT I THINK I'VE HEARD HE SAID IS THAT HIS RESIGNATION WOULD EXTEND TO 30 DAYS AND THAT WOULD BE HIS BEST AND FINAL OFFER TO US.

AND SO I THINK 30 DAYS IS A VERY SHORT TIME TO.

LOOK AT DIFFERENT THINGS AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO, SO I THINK THEN WE SHOULD SHIFT GEARS AND

[00:45:08]

SO LET'S FIND AN INTERIM ATTORNEY WHO CAN HANDLE THE TRANSITION PERIOD AND NOT BE A PART OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE RFQ OR FIND OF INTEREST OR WHATEVER WE DECIDE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BOLTON.

COMMISSIONER PLACKO? I DIDN'T HAVE MY HAND RAISED.

I DIDN'T THINK.

OH, SORRY.

IT WAS UP AND THEN I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU JUST CLICKED IT OFF, SO.

ALL RIGHT. SO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AT THIS TIME.

IT APPEARS WE HAVE CONSENSUS FOR AN INTERIM ATTORNEY THAT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BID FOR THE PROCESS OF OUR PERMANENT THE ATTORNEY, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS CONVERTED INTO A MOTION, PLEASE.

I WILL MAKE MOTION THAT WE HIRE AN INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY WHO WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR BEING OUR FULL TIME ATTORNEY.

I SECOND THE MOTION. THANK YO., MADAM CLERK.

I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SENT IN.

MADAM MAYOR, I HAVE NO COMMENTS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. PUBLIC COMMENTS OPEN, PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED.

PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. VICE MAYOR VILLALOBOS.

YES. COMMISSIONER BOLTON.

YES.

COMMISSIONER PLACKO. YES.

COMMISSIONER GELIN. YES.

AND MAYOR GOMEZ. YES.

THE MAYOR. THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW, AT THIS TIME, WE NEED TO MAKE A DETERMINATION ON TO THE PROCESS,

[2. Discussion and possible direction related to the procurement process of City Attorney Services (Part 2 of 2)]

BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO ALSO OPEN THE DOOR FOR DISCUSSING HOW YOU WOULD ENGAGE AN INTERIM COUNCIL AS WELL, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO TRY TO HELP YOU WITH.

AGAIN, JUST TO RESTATE THE OBVIOUS, THAT WHATEVER IT TAKES TO TRANSITION THOROUGHLY AND APPROPRIATELY UNDER THE BAR RULES WE'LL DO, WHETHER IT BE THE INTERIM OR THE FULL TIME OR BOTH. THANK YOU.

AND THE PROCESS FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF THE INTERIM DOES NOT NEED TO BE NECESSARILY THE SAME AS THE PROCESS FOR THE LONG TERM.

AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AS.

COMMISSIONER PLACKO HAS SAID.

IS WE'RE BUDDING UP AGAINST HOLIDAY TIME AND SO WE DO NEED TO BE FAIR TO THOSE WHO WILL BE SUBMITTING THEIR APPLICATIONS, THE APPLICATIONS BEING REVIEWED AND FOR EVERYBODY'S TIME AND ALSO KNOWING THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOME OF THIS IN A VIRTUAL WORLD.

SO WITH THAT.

I HAVE HEARD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY DO WANT TO HAVE THE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS, OTHERS [INAUDIBLE].

IF YOU WOULD. [INAUDIBLE] VICE MAYOR WE'LL SHOW YOU WHERE YOUR HAND RAISE BUTTON IS.

BUT GO AHEAD. I SEE IT, BUT I CAN'T WELL IT'S ON OR OFF.

IT'S ON NOW. IT'S ON NOW.

YOU'RE A GOOD GO AHEAD. IS THERE A CAP? CAN WE CAP IT OUT OR IS IT JUST A MATTER OF LET'S OPEN IT UP THE FLOODGATES AND THEN ALLOW ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND APPLICANTS OR CAN WE CAP IT AT FIVE APPLICANTS, 10 APPLICANTS? THAT'S JUST A QUESTION OF DESIGN.

WELL, THAT'S PART OF WHAT I WAS SHARING EARLIER.

THERE ARE A LOT OF APPLICANTS AND IT'S I DON'T USUALLY HAVE A DEADLINE.

I THINK YOU NEED A DEADLINE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING FOR APPLICATIONS YOU HAVE A DEADLINE FOR A TIME CERTAIN TO HAVE THEM IN. THAT'S ONE WAY TO NOT HAVE TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF APPLICATIONS THAT COME IN.

BUT THEN AGAIN, THEY ALL THAT YOU CAN'T BE GUARANTEED HOW MANY ARE GOING TO COME IN.

AND SO TO KEEP THE PROCESS, I BELIEVE THIS COMMISSION WILL WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING IN THE LIGHT, THAT WE DO IT ABOVE BOARD.

WE GIVE EVERYBODY A FAIR CHANCE TO BE HEARD.

THIS IS A REFLECTION OF WHAT WILL BE WHO WILL BE HELPING OUR CITY TO MOVE ON WITH VERY IMPORTANT MATTERS THAT COME BEFORE US.

SO. I THINK THE WAY TO MAKE TO NARROW IT DOWN IS ALSO TO ENLIST THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR CITY STAFF. WE VIEW EVERYTHING.

BUT AT THE SAME TOKEN, WE DO ALSO NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WHILE WE ARE THE COMMISSION AND WE DO SET POLICY, WE DO NOT KNOW EVERY SINGLE NOOK AND CRANNY OF THINGS THAT GO ON IN OUR CITY AND WHAT LEGAL HAS TO REVIEW FOR US.

SO I THINK IT IS BEST THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR VERY EDUCATED

[00:50:01]

SO. [INAUDIBLE] LOOK LIKE? WELL, THAT WOULD COULD BE THAT WE DO A RFQ FOR QUALIFICATIONS, WE HAVE IT NARROWED DOWN.

WE CAN PROVIDE WHAT TO OUR CITY STAFF AND DO IN THE PROCESS.

THEY CAN THEN NARROW DOWN IF WE GET 50 APPLICATIONS AND THIS IS FOR WHETHER IT'S INTERIM OR WHETHER IT IS FOR THE FULL TIME, WE CAN HAVE NARROWED DOWN TO HAVING IT BE WITH THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT WE'RE SEEKING, SET A SET NUMBER FOR WHAT WE WOULD LIKE AND THEN GO FROM THERE. WHETHER WE WANT TO HAVE A VIDEO PROCESS TO INTERVIEW THE APPLICANTS.

WE WANT TO HAVE. IS IT GOING TO BE INDIVIDUAL? WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.

AS WAS TOLD US, BY LAW, WE HAVE TO HAVE AUDIOTAPES WHICH WILL THEN BE RELEASED 30 DAYS AFTER OR WHATEVER THE TIME FRAME ON.

WE ARE CREATING WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, I'M JUST ASKING THAT WE CREATED MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ASSISTANCE FROM OUR CITY STAFF TO HELP US NARROW IT DOWN.

SO WE DO HAVE THE BEST OPTIONS TO GO FROM.

CITY MANAGER? YOU HAVE YOUR HANDS UP.

YOUR ON MUTE. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

TO COMMISSIONER GELIN'S POINT EARLIER ABOUT THIS BEING THE CITY COMMISSION'S PROCESS THAT THEY OWN, THAT YOU OWN AS THE CITY COMMISSION.

OUR ROLE IN THAT IS SIMPLY TO FACILITATE YOUR PROCESS FOR YOU.

AND IF YOU WILL, JUST TELL US HOW YOU LIKE TO GO ABOUT IT, WE WILL FACILITATE IT FOR YOU AS BEST WE CAN.

AS, I SAID, THE COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS AND YOU HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO THIS.

THIS IS YOUR PROCESS.

BUT AS YOUR STAFF, WE'RE HERE TO FACILITATE IT FOR YOU.

SO IF YOU'LL GIVE US THE PARAMETERS FOR BOTH THE PERMANENT AND FOR THE INTERIM.

IF YOU'LL GIVE US SOME TIME FRAMES AND THINGS, WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO FACILITATE THAT FOR YOU. I THINK THAT I'M NOT GOING TO PUT WORDS IN COMMISSIONER GELIN'S MOUTH, BUT I THINK THAT HE SAID THAT AN INTERIM APPOINTMENT COULD BE FACILITATED RATHER EXPEDIENTLY.

AND I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT IN TERMS OF GATHERING LETTERS OF INTEREST OR QUALIFICATIONS OR WHATEVER YOU LIKE TO CALL IT AND GET THOSE BACK TO YOU FOR A DECISION.

I THINK THAT ONCE YOU'VE MADE THAT DECISION, THAT WILL MAKE MAKING A PERMANENT DECISION, AN EASIER PROCESS, IT WILL TAKE PRESSURE OFF OF YOU, AND IT'LL GIVE YOU THE TIME THAT YOU NEED TO REALLY SPELL OUT WHAT IT IS YOU WANT THE NEXT CITY ATTORNEY AND GIVE US SOME VERY SOLID DIRECTION TO FACILITATE THAT PROCESS FOR YOU.

AGAIN, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS YOUR PROCESS AND AS YOUR STAFF, WE'RE HERE TO FACILITATE IT FOR YOU.

SO. COMMISSIONER BOLTON? THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, I AGREE WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, THE CITY MANAGER, THAT THIS IS THIS IS OUR PROCESS AND I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO GET THE BALL ROLLING IN AN EXPEDIENT MANNER AND TIME, NOT RUSHING IT TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE DOING OURSELVES A MISJUSTICE. I'VE LONG I'VE LONG FOLLOWED THE LEAD OF COMMISSIONER GELIN WHEN IT COMES TO SPEAKING ABOUT RFQS AND LETTERS OF INTERESTS.

AND THAT SORT OF STUFF I BELIEVE THAT HE HAS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE WHEN IT COMES TO THIS SORT OF THING, GIVEN HIS BUSINESS ACTIVITIES AND HIS ROLES WITH OTHER CITIES.

AND THAT'S THE STUFF. AND I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THIS PROCESS UNDER SUNSHINE TO ASK FOR HIS ASSISTANCE TO LEAD US OR ME, FOR THAT MATTER, IN WHAT HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE. AND IF THAT IS A DECISION THAT IS ACCEPTABLE, IF THAT IS A DISCUSSION ACCEPTABLE, THEN I WOULD CONCUR.

SO I'D LIKE TO TO ASK COMMISSIONER GELIN WHAT HIS THOUGHTS ARE ON WHAT THE PROCESS SHOULD BE THE EASIEST, FAIREST PROCESS GOING FORWARD.

AND THEN LET US SEE IF OUR COLLEAGUES AGREE AND KNOW THAT IT'S YOUR AGENDA, MADAM MAYOR.

AND YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT NOW OR GO AROUND THE ROOM TO FIND OUT IF SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS TO

[00:55:07]

BUT THAT IS MY DESIRE AT THIS TIME.

AND I LEAVE IT TO YOUR PLEASURE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, I APPRECIATE YOUR OPINION ON HOW THIS PROCESS SHOULD START BEING [INAUDIBLE] ABOUT, AND I HAVE BEEN ASKING FROM THE START, SO I GAVE YOU SOME LEAD OF SOME OPINION AND WE NEED TO, I THINK, FIRST TAKE IT AS.

COMMISSIONER I SEE YOUR HAND, COMMISSIONER GELIN I SEE YOUR HAND IN A MOMENT.

ON PROCUREMENT FOR AN INTERIM.

AND THEN WE CAN DETERMINE IF THAT SAME PROCUREMENT WILL BE UTILIZED FOR THE FULL TIME.

COMMISSIONER GELIN? SO I THINK WE'VE ALL RECEIVED PHONE CALLS, EMAILS, LETTERS FROM OTHER FIRMS THAT HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN BECOMING THE NEXT CITY ATTORNEY.

BY RESTRICTING THE INTERIM ROLE TO ONE WHERE A FIRM CANNOT BE A PART OF THE RFP, RFQ PROCESS, WE'RE GOING TO LIMIT THE POOL OF FIRMS THAT APPLY TO BECOME THE INTERIM BECAUSE MOST OF THE FIRMS WANT TO BE A FULL TIME ATTORNEY.

SO THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS GOING TO LOWER REDUCE THE NUMBER OF FIRMS THAT APPLY FOR THE INTERIM ROLE. I THINK WE SHOULD DO A SIMPLE LETTER OF INTEREST.

WE CAN WORK WITH KEITH AND IDENTIFY WHAT WE WANT TO SEE.

RESUMES, EXPERIENCE, COPIES OF THE BAR LICENSE THAT THEY HAVE, LISTS OF CLIENTS THAT THEY HAVE OR HAVE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST.

ANY SUBCONTRACTING FIRMS FOR SMALLER FIRMS IF THEY INTEND TO SUBCONTRACT WITH LARGER FIRMS . A SIMPLE LETTER OF INTEREST.

I'M SURE PLENTY OF FIRMS ARE LISTENING RIGHT NOW.

WE CAN HAVE A FIVE DAY TURNAROUND TIME, 48 HOUR TURNAROUND TIME, AND THEN SELECT A INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY.

AND THEN WE CAN GO THROUGH A MORE EXHAUSTIVE PROCESS OR JUST AN RFQ PROCESS FOR THE ACTUAL CITY ATTORNEY ROLE WHERE THAT CAN BE MAYBE A THREE MONTH PROCESS, WHERE WE CAN TAKE THE TIME AND THOROUGHLY REVIEW SOME FIRMS FOR THE FULL TIME CITY ATTORNEY ROLE.

BUT WITH WHAT THEY'RE PRETTY WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A PRETTY FIRM JANUARY 9TH RESIGNATION DATE, WE NEED TO MOVE PRETTY FAST WITH THE INTERIM ROLE, GET CASES TRANSITION AND TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME AS IT RELATES TO THE CITY ATTORNEY ROLE.

AND AGAIN, I'VE ALREADY PUBLICLY REQUESTED COPIES OF OTHER RFQS THAT WERE DONE WITH OTHER CITIES. I THINK CITY OF PLANTATION RECENTLY DID ONE, CITY OF MARGATE, CITY OF NORTH MIAMI BEACH, CITY OF MIRAMAR.

SEVERAL FIRMS HAVE MADE SOME CHANGES.

SO WE CAN GET COPIES OF THAT.

STAFF CAN SEND THAT TO US.

WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT. WE CAN RED LINE ITEMS THAT WE LIKE AND THAT WE DON'T LIKE AND THEN DETERMINE OUR OWN PROCESS.

SO COMMISSIONER GELIN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS CORRECTLY.

WE ARE GOING TO SET THE INTERIM PROCESS NOW, AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN REQUESTED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE PROCESS FOR THE FULL TIME ATTORNEY. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REQUESTING? YES, SO SOME FROM A TIMELINE PERSPECTIVE, WE SHOULD GET THE LETTERS OF INTEREST OUT WITHIN THE NEXT TWO DAYS OR SO.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN START GATHERING INFORMATION AND START THE RFQ PROCESS.

I'M SURE WE CAN DO THAT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

I'M TRYING TO SEPARATE IT OUT.

OK. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SO THAT PROCESS THAT YOU HAVE REQUESTED IS BASICALLY FOR THE INTERIM AND THEN WHEN WE GET BACK.

IN JANUARY, BECAUSE REALISTICALLY, WE'RE ASKING FOR INFORMATION FROM OTHER CITIES THAT MAY BE CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS AS WELL.

MANY PLACES HAVE GONE ON TO BREAK.

SO WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE INFORMATION AS QUICKLY AS WE DESIRE WITHIN THIS WEEK.

SO WITH THAT BEING THE CASE, THE INFORMATION WE NEED THAT YOU ARE REQUESTING FROM THE OTHER CITIES ON HOW THEY DID THEIR PROCESS FOR ATTORNEY SEARCHES WOULD COME BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR FOR US TO THEN REVIEW AND MEET AGAIN FOR DISCUSSION ON HOW TO PROCESS THE FULL TIME ATTORNEY THAT WE'RE SEEKING.

IS THAT IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? NO, WE DON'T. I MEAN, FOR ME PERSONALLY, I DON'T NEED TO SEE WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE.

I THINK I LOOK AT RFPS ALL THE TIME.

AND SO I THINK MAYBE FOR COMFORT, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR SOME OF MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES TO SEE WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THE PROCESS CAN BE THE SAME, SIMILAR.

I MEAN, WHETHER IT'S A LETTER OF INTEREST OR REQUEST WITH QUALIFICATIONS, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE? WE WANT TO KNOW YOU HAVE AN ACTIVE BAR LICENSE.

WE WANT TO KNOW YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH OTHER CITY AND CITY ATTORNEYS.

WE WANT TO SEE RESUMES OF THE TEAM AND THEN WE MAKE A DECISION.

SO WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE.

BUT THAT'S BASICALLY THE PROCESS.

AND THEN WE DECIDE WHO WE LIKE BASED ON AN INTERVIEW PROCESS, BASED ON EXPERIENCE, BASED

[01:00:01]

SO THE PROCESS CAN BE THE SAME AS A LETTER OF INTEREST.

BUT FROM A TIMING PERSPECTIVE, WE SHOULD JUST GET THE LETTERS OF INTEREST OUT FAIRLY QUICKLY SO THAT CAN BE A TRANSITION BY THE 9TH OF JANUARY.

OK, BUT I'M STILL TRYING TO SEPARATE IT OUT BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND YOUR REQUEST FOR THE PROCESS ON THE INTERIM, BUT YOU'VE BEEN ASKING FOR DOCUMENTATION FROM OTHER CITIES.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU DON'T WANT FOR THE FULL TIME ATTORNEYS.

OK, THAT'S WHERE I'M ASKING.

YES. I DON'T THINK WE NEED DOCUMENTATION.

I MEAN, THE DOCUMENTATION IS THERE.

IT'S PUBLIC RECORD. A LOT OF [INAUDIBLE] RIGHT TO THE WEBSITE AND PICK IT UP.

KEITH, AS A PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR, HAS RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PROCUREMENT DIRECTORS.

HE CAN REQUEST IT AND THEY CAN TURN IT AROUND TO THEM WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH A CITY CLERK AND WAIT FOR PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST.

SO I'M ASKING FOR THAT JUST FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE.

BUT WE ACTUALLY DON'T NEED IT.

WE CAN JUST SET OUR OWN PARAMETERS.

BUT THAT'S FOR YOU GUYS TO FEEL COMFORTABLE, MORE COMFORTABLE ABOUT WHAT AN RFQ PROCESS LOOKS LIKE FROM WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE.

OK. SO IT IS NOW NOT INCUMBENT THAT WE KEEP, THAT WE GET THAT DOCUMENTATION [INAUDIBLE].

WHILE YOU'VE MADE THE REQUEST. IF IT CAN BE DONE, IT CAN BE DONE AND PROVIDED, BUT IT IS NOT GOING TO HOLD UP OUR PROCESS.

NO.

THANK YOU WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK ON THAT.

CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE SOMETHING AND THEN I HAVE I HAD VICE MAYOR ON DECK.

HIS HAND IS NOW DOWN.

THEN I HAVE COMMISSIONER PLACKO, THEN COMMISSIONER BOLTON.

GO AHEAD.

MADAM MAYOR. JUST TO TRY TO PROVIDE SOME PERSPECTIVE ON TIMING TO YOU AND TO THE CITY COMMISSION. I BELIEVE THAT I UNDERSTAND AND MR. GLATZ UNDERSTANDS THE SENSE OF URGENCY RELATED TO HIRING AN INTERIM ATTORNEY.

AND I KNOW THAT MR. GLATZ HAS ALREADY REQUESTED SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COMMISSIONER GELIN IS TALKING ABOUT.

AND I WOULD EXPECT THAT THAT WE CAN TURN THOSE THINGS AROUND ON YOUR BEHALF PRETTY QUICKLY. I WOULD EXPECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO SCHEDULE ANOTHER MEETING LIKE THIS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE AT A FORUM FOR DISCUSSION.

EITHER LATER THIS WEEK OR IN A WEEK.

THAT IS UP. THAT IS UP TO YOU.

I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE, THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO FACILITATE THIS FOR YOU AND TO TRY TO DO IT IN A YOU KNOW EXPEDITED MANNER. SO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE THINGS THAT I THINK WE HAVE CONSIDERED OR ARE NOW CONSIDERING BASED ON TODAY'S DISCUSSION.

AND WE JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, I THINK, FOR MR. GLATZ TO GET A REALISTIC SCHEDULE TO YOU TO HAVE AN INTERIM ATTORNEY IN PLACE PRIOR TO JANUARY 9TH, SO THAT THAT TRANSITION CAN BEGIN AND CAN BE ORDERLY.

I THINK I JUST I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING TO REPORT BACK TO YOU.

THAT MEETING'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOON.

IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A LONG MEETING.

IT CAN JUST BE A CHECK IN.

WE JUST AS I SAID, ONCE WE GET DIRECTION FROM YOU AS TO EXACTLY WHAT IT IS YOU WANT, WE'LL DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO FACILITATE IT QUICKLY FOR YOU.

THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER PLACKO. THANK YOU.

I BELIEVE BASED ON THE NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS THAT I'VE ALREADY RECEIVED ABOUT ATTORNEYS WANTING TO BE OUR INTERIM ATTORNEY, THAT THIS SHOULD BE A FAIRLY QUICK PROCESS.

I AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, LET'S HAVE A 48 HOUR TURNAROUND AND PROBABLY BY THE END OF THIS MEETING, WE WILL HAVE AT LEAST A DOZEN MORE.

SO THE QUICKER WE GET THIS GOING, THE QUICKER WE GET IT IN AND HAVE SOMEONE ON BOARD.

PRIOR TO JANUARY 9TH, THEN AS SEVERAL MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID WE CAN TAKE OUR TIME MORE EXTENSIVELY WITH HIRING A FULL TIME ATTORNEY.

THE ONE QUESTION I DO HAVE, HOW DOES INTERIM ATTORNEY WORK? ARE WE HIRING THEM ON A MONTHLY BASIS OR IS THERE IS THERE ANY SCHEDULE WE HAVE TO HIRE THEM FOR SIX MONTHS OR IS IT STRICTLY MONTH TO MONTH? [INAUDIBLE] I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE HOW WE DETERMINE THE ROLE FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY IN OUR PROCESS.

BUT I WILL PUT IT BACK THROUGH TO THE CITY ATTORNEY ON THAT QUESTION.

[INAUDIBLE] THOSE PARAMETERS SO WE CAN COMMISSIONER, CITY ATTORNEY.

IF I MAY MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSION, THE MAYOR AND COMMISSION WOULD SET THE PARAMETERS OF THE

[01:05:02]

COMMISSION MAKE THAT DECISION.

THANK YOU. THE I CERTAINLY WOULD SUGGEST IT IS ON A MONTHLY BASIS.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE DISCUSSING WHEN WE HIRE THE INTERIM ATTORNEY ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT ARE OUR NEEDS ARE AND OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR OUR FULL TIME ATTORNEY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER BOLTON? YES MADAM MAYOR. OK, SO I.

COMMISSIONER PLACKO IS RIGHT.

WE [INAUDIBLE].

SHE'S RIGHT, WE DID RECEIVE A LOT OF EMAILS, AT LEAST FOR ME.

I RECEIVED A LOT OF EMAILS.

I MEAN, THEY'RE PUBLIC RECORD.

THEY'RE SENT TO MY TAMARAC EMAIL ADDRESS.

AND, YOU KNOW, IN THOSE LETTERS, PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT THEY WANT TO BE OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND THEY WANT TO BE OUR OR THEY CAN ACT AS INTERIM.

WHAT I MUST POINT OUT, THOUGH, IS THAT I BELIEVE THAT AT THAT TIME OF SENDING THAT LETTER, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD PUT LANGUAGE THAT SAYS THE INTERIM ATTORNEY WOULD NOT SHOULD NOT BE THE FULL TIME ATTORNEY.

SO IF WE THEN, YOU KNOW, ASK FOR LETTERS OF INTEREST AND SAY, HEY, CAN YOU BE OUR INTERIM ATTORNEY, I THINK A LOT OF FIRMS ARE GOING TO RUN FOR COVER AND LIKE NO, NO, NO.

I'LL WAIT FOR THE OTHER PROCESS.

SO LET'S NOT FOOL OURSELVES.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANTS TO BE OUR INTERIM ATTORNEY UNLESS THEY TRULY JUST WANT TO BE INTERIM.

RIGHT? SO WE'LL PROBABLY GET ONE OR TWO OR MAYBE THREE.

I CAN THINK OF ONE OF THE LETTERS RIGHT NOW.

I DON'T THINK THAT FIRM UNDERSTANDING THAT THE INTERIM ATTORNEY IS NOT GOING TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE FULL TIME JOB IS GOING TO WANT TO BE THE INTERIM ATTORNEY.

AND WE ARE THE CITY OF TAMARAC.

WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO HIRE, YOU KNOW, ANY FIRM.

THEY HAVE TO BE COMPETENT AND THEY'RE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND THAT'S THE STUFF. SO LET'S NOT KID OURSELVES.

RIGHT. SO I WOULD THINK SO.

SO MY SUGGESTION IS TO REEL IN THIS CONVERSATION.

AND MY SUGGESTION IS DO BOTH PROCESSES AT THE SAME TIME.

SO YOU LOOK FOR AN INTERIM ATTORNEY AT THE SAME TIME, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A FULL TIME ATTORNEY. IF YOU FIND THAT ALL OF THESE FIRMS ARE WANTING TO BE FULL TIME ATTORNEYS, JUST HIRE FULL TIME ATTORNEY AND SKIP THE INTERIM PROCESS.

LET'S NOT HOLD OURSELVES CAPTIVE TO A INTERIM PROCESS AND THEN NOBODY APPLIES FOR AN INTERIM PROCESS. THEN WE HAVE TO COME BACK HERE AND THEN DECIDE ALL OVER AGAIN, OK, NOBODY APPLIED.

LET US, NO.

SO LET US FIND PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED FOR INTERIM.

LET US FIND PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED FOR THE FULL TIME POSITION AT THE SAME TIME.

SO LET US LET US GET CONSENSUS FOR THAT TODAY.

SO BOTH PROCESS GOES OUT AT THE SAME TIME.

THAT'S NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, LET US DO THE LETTERS OF INTEREST EXAMPLE SCENARIO, RIGHT.

LET US CHOOSE THAT OPTION INSTEAD OF COMPLICATING THE WHOLE PROCESS WITH AN RFQ.

AND THEN YOU HAVE TO DO THIS AND THAT.

YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE ALL INTELLIGENT ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY NEEDS QUALIFIED ATTORNEYS TO REPRESENT OUR BEST INTEREST.

SO LET THEM LET US LOOK FOR AN INTERIM ATTORNEY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME LOOK FOR A FULL TIME ATTORNEY, LET THEM SUBMIT WHATEVER THEY SUBMIT LETTERS OF INTEREST, REGARDLESS OF THE OPTION THAT THEY ARE ASKING FOR.

AND THEN THEY CAN ATTACH THEIR RESUMES AND THE RESUMES OF ANY PARTNERS THAT THEY HAVE.

AND THEN WE COME BACK AT ANOTHER TIME.

THE MANAGER MENTIONED THAT WE CAN JUST COME BACK FOR A TOUCH BASE.

AND AT THAT TIME WE CAN SAY DID ANYBODY APPLY FOR THE INTERIM ATTORNEY? DID ANYBODY APPLY FOR THE FULL TIME? AND WE GO FROM THERE. YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE COMPLICATING THE PROCESS AND TRICKING OURSELVES INTO THINKING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE INTERESTED IN BECOMING INTERIM ATTORNEY. AND I DON'T THINK THAT WILL BE THE CASE AFTER TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, I HAVE VICE MAYOR ON DECK.

SO I JUST WANT TO ECHO COMMISSIONER PLACKO AND BOLTON.

THE FIRST TRANSITION IS GOING TO BE WITHIN 30 DAYS.

THE SECOND TRANSITION SHOULD BE IS GOING TO BE THREE TO SIX MONTHS.

[01:10:05]

DO WE EXPECT THAT INTERIM TO DO THE SAME FOR A PERMANENT CITY ATTORNEY? THAT'S JUST THE QUESTION THAT I WAS JUST INTERESTED IN KNOWING IF ANYONE CAN SHARE SOME DETAILS ON. WELL, ONE THING ABOUT THE PROCESS, I HAVE SERVED ON A PROCESS FOR ANOTHER CITY TO SELECT AN ATTORNEY.

THE PACKAGES THAT THE LAW FIRMS PREPARE ARE NOT ONE PAGE.

THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PUTTING THEIR BEST FOOT FORWARD FOR THE CITY TO MAKE THE DECISION TO HAVE THEM BE HIRED.

SO AND IT TAKES A WHILE TO GO THROUGH.

SO WE ARE GOING TO RECEIVE RESUMES.

WE NEED TO, I THINK, BE MINDFUL OF THE PROCESS AND HOW MANY RESUMES WE ARE GOING TO RECEIVE. AND THAT WAS A REQUEST, AS YOU SAID EARLIER, VICE MAYOR, HOW MANY ARE WE GOING TO GET? HOW MANY WE'RE GOING TO LOOK THROUGH? AND SO WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT PROCESS.

AND I KNOW PERSONALLY, I WANT TO TALK WITH THESE PEOPLE.

WHOEVER IS APPLYING, I WOULD LIKE IT.

AND SO I'M SURE EACH OF US WOULD THAT ALSO MEANS TIMING.

SO EVEN IF WE'RE DOING THE PROCESS CONCURRENTLY FOR FINDING AN INTERIM AND THEN FINDING A CITY, A CITY ATTORNEY.

WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL THAT THE PROCESS IS NOT AS QUICK AS WE MAY WANT IT, IT COULD BE, BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE.

SO WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE THAT BUILT IN SO WE'RE NOT LEFT WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.

I DO KNOW THAT OUR CURRENT CITY ATTORNEY WOULD NOT DO THAT TO US, BUT WE ALSO JUST HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THE WORLD AROUND US RIGHT NOW.

HOLIDAYS ARE APPROACHING OR WE'RE ALREADY IN SOME HOLIDAYS.

SO THAT BEING SAID, COMMISSIONER GELIN, YOU HAVE YOUR HANDS UP.

YEAH, SO AND I'M SURE OUR PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR CAN CONFIRM THIS FOR ME, BUT I KNOW I'VE PARTICIPATED FOR MY BUSINESS ON SOME RFP PROCESSES WHERE THEY'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR.

NO, NO, NO RFP WILL BE ACCEPTED.

THAT'S MORE THAN TWENTY FIVE PAGES.

SO WE CAN LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF FLUFF AND THE AMOUNT OF STUFF THAT WE RECEIVE IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS.

I DO AGREE SOMEWHAT WITH COMMISSIONER BOLTON.

I THINK OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE FIRMS THAT WANT THE FULL TIME ROLE, BUT I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE A FEW FIRMS THAT WOULD JUST TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE INTERIM BECAUSE MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO BE THE FULL TIME OR THEY KNOW THEY'RE NOT FULLY QUALIFIED FOR THE FULL TIME. AND SO, YEAH, WE SHOULD DO THEM BOTH KIND OF AT THE SAME TIME AND TRY TO SELECT A FULL TIME.

BUT I THINK THE FULL TIME MIGHT TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET THE DEADLINE OF THE JANUARY 9TH, I THINK WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THE INTERIM WHILE AT THE SAME TIME SENDING OUT THE PERMANENT ONE.

AND THEN WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SCORE A WINNER FOR BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.

BUT THERE WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSITION.

WE ALL KNOW SAM'S FIRM TO BE VERY PROFESSIONAL.

AND I THINK AN INTERIM WILL SAY, ALL RIGHT, BECAUSE WE'RE SO FAR DOWN THE LINE ON THIS CASE, THEY SHOULD CONTINUE ON THIS CASE AND CLOSE IT OUT AND THEN WE'LL TAKE THESE OTHER CASES GOING FORWARD.

SO THERE'S A CERTAIN LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM THAT IS EXPECTED BY MEMBERS OF THE BAR ASSOCIATION. SO THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY DROP OR ANY ANY PROBLEMS WITH CASES BECAUSE THE INTERIM IS NOT GOING TO WANT TO RUIN THEIR REPUTATION.

AND NEITHER IS SAM. SO WE SHOULD WE SHOULD FOCUS ON BOTH.

BUT AGAIN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY ONE HUNDRED PAGE RFQS OR LETTERS OF INTEREST.

THERE'S SOME BASIC INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO KNOW.

THERE'S AN INTERVIEW PROCESS AND THEN WE GO FROM THERE.

SO CITY MANAGER.

AT THIS TIME, FOR US AT LEAST.

CIRCLE BACK IN THE PROCESS, YOU HEARD WHAT THE COMMISSION IS DESIRING.

WE HAVE A REQUEST TO MEET.

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.

IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, IT HAS BEEN OUTLINED, IF EVERYBODY IN THE COMMISSION HAS GIVEN CONSENSUS, I WILL [INAUDIBLE] TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE THE FOR THE INTERIM.

WE'LL HAVE A LIMIT. TWENTY FIVE PAGES.

RESUMES, EXPERIENCE, BAR, LIST OF CLIENTS, ANY SUBCONTRACTING WITH FIRMS, TERMINATION A FIVE DAY TURNAROUND.

SO COMMISSION ARE YOU ASKING THAT WHEN WE MEET AGAIN THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE.

[01:15:04]

YOU WANT A FIVE DAY SUBMISSION PERIOD FROM WHEN WE RELEASE THIS FOR THE INTERIM ATTORNEY TO PROVIDE US BACK THESE PACKAGES, FIVE BUSINESS DAYS IS PRESUMPTIVELY NOT CALENDAR DAYS.

[INAUDIBLE] YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S FINE.

YOU KNOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WE FROM THE FROM THE TIME THIS WAS ANNOUNCED, WE STARTED GETTING PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS.

SO THESE FIRMS ARE READY.

THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE HELD UP BY ANY HOLIDAY.

THIS IS A BIG ACCOUNT IN TERMS OF REVENUES FOR OTHER FIRMS. SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE I'M SURE THEY'RE WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW AND THEY RESPOND TO RFPS ALL THE TIME. SO THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE A TEMPLATE AND THEY HAVE DOCUMENTS SAY THAT THEY CAN STICK INTO A RFQ OR LETTER OF INTEREST SO THEY'LL BE READY TO GO.

AND SO. I THINK FIVE DAYS IS MORE THAN GENEROUS.

FIVE BUSINESS DAYS AND.

BECAUSE ALSO CONSIDER THIS EVERYBODY, WE HAVE TO REVIEW IT, WE ALL HAVE TO REVIEW IT, SO WE NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYBODY'S TIME AND.

AGAIN, HOLIDAYS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TIMES WITH THEIR FAMILY, SO WE CANNOT BE IMPOSING ON OTHERS AT THIS TIME, ESPECIALLY WITH HAVING THE YEAR THAT WE'VE HAD.

PEOPLE NEED THEIR TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES.

AS IMPORTANT AS THIS IS FOR EVERYBODY.

ONE THING THAT WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED FOR THE INTERIM PROCESS EVEN IS THE INTERVIEW PROCESS . SO I WOULD LIKE TO BE [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE FULL TIME.

ARE WE WORKING THAT TIMING PROCESS INTO THIS OR SHALL WE JUST WE CAN WE NEED TO HAVE THAT IN MIND. BUT THE INTERIM PROCESS.

WE HAVE INTERVIEWS DONE.

I'M GONNA ASK THIS FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] GLATZ. IF WE SET THEM UP ON OUR OWN, DO WE SET THEM UP THROUGH TEAMS SO WE CAN HAVE THEM RECORDED, HOW IS THE PROPER PROCESS FOR THIS? SO WE'RE NOT RUNNING AFOUL OF OUR STATUTES IN CASE THE COMMISSION DOES NOT WISH TO HAVE A SET SCHEDULE? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK WE ALSO HAVE TO INCLUDE JENNIFER ON THAT ON THAT QUESTION, BECAUSE WHEN IT WHEN IT COMES TO THE ACTUAL MEETINGS, SHE IS OUR MASTER GURU IN THAT RESPECT, BUT.

WE COULD SET UP MEETINGS ON TEAMS WE HAVE DONE THAT WITH OTHER VENDORS, THAT'S A COMMON PRACTICE FOR US TO DO THAT.

CITY CLERK. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDED? WE JUST NEED TO SCHEDULE THE MEETINGS NOW.

THANK YOU. I HAVE VICE MAYOR? SO I'M LOOKING AT THE CALENDAR.

YOU'RE YOU'RE SUGGESTING FIVE WORK DAYS.

NEXT WEEK IS CHRISTMAS, THE WEEK AFTER NEW YEAR'S.

AND SAM HAS ONE WHOLE WEEK AFTER THE NEW YEAR'S.

ISN'T THAT A BIT OF A STRETCH? IS THAT FIVE DAYS TOO LONG? I MEAN. IS JUST A QUESTION, LOOKING AT MY CALENDAR.

DIRECTOR GLATZ DID HAVE A COMMENT BASED ON PROCUREMENT THAT YOU WANT TO SHARE? NO. DATES WE ALREADY HAVE PROSPECTS AND EVERYTHING OR WHATEVER EVERYBODY HAS GOT CONSIDERING THAT.

UNDERSTOOD. COMMISSIONER PLACKO? THANK YOU.

I WOULD SUGGEST, RATHER THAN EVERYBODY SETTING UP THEIR OWN MEETINGS AND COORDINATION THROUGH JENNIFER SO THAT WE KNOW WHO'S SPOKEN TO THESE PEOPLE, WHO'S BEEN INTERVIEWED AND MAKE SURE ALL OF US ARE IN THAT LOOP SO WE DON'T SPIN OUR WHEELS, SO TO SPEAK.

SORRY, JENNIFER, BUT THANKS.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU.

SO WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE WE NEED TO.

MOVE THIS ALONG. WE KNOW HOW WE WANT TO DO THE INTERIM.

WE UNDERSTAND WE NEED TO SET THE PARAMETERS FOR THE PERMANENT.

[01:20:09]

WE NEED TO START COLLECTING.

BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING THE REQUEST FOR.

PROPOSALS OR THE LETTERS OF INTEREST, WE DO OWE THEM, THE APPLICANTS, THE.

RIGHT TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT WE INTEND TO HAVE A PROCESS FOR INTERVIEWS AND A TIME FRAME, THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SET APPOINTMENTS WITH US.

AND THIS WAY, WE CAN MANAGE THE EXPECTATIONS AND KNOW WHEN WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS SO.

I'M NOT HEARING ANYTHING THAT HELPS US MOVE THAT FORWARD.

AND I'M TRYING TO NOT SET IT OUT THERE FOR EVERYBODY, SO PLEASE HELP ME, HELP US GET THERE OR ELSE WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THE MEETING OUT ON THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE LETTERS ADMINISTRATION AND LET IT.

GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER GELIN.

ACTUALLY, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER PLACKO'S HAND WAS RAISED BEFORE YOURS.

COMMISSIONER PLACKO? OK, LET'S TRY AND ROPE THIS IN.

HOW QUICKLY CAN WE GET THIS OUT REALISTICALLY? TODAY? YES.

OK, SO LET'S GET IT OUT TODAY AND LET'S HAVE A DEADLINE OF FRIDAY.

THAT'S TOO LONG.

HOW LONG? THURSDAY? OK, THURSDAY, WHICH IN TURN WILL GET IT BACK TO US.

SO BY MONDAY, MAYBE WE CAN START WORKING ON SOMETHING.

WE COULD SIT HERE FOREVER AND TALK ABOUT HOW MANY DAYS AND HOW TO DO IT.

LET'S JUST DO IT.

LET'S GET IT ROLLING. CITY MANAGER, THERE WAS A CALL FOR A MEETING TO BE HAD FOR THINGS FOR YOU AND EARLIER.

SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE WERE SAYING WE'LL REGROUP AGAIN IN A WEEK OR SO.

IS THAT STILL NEEDED ON YOUR END? SO, MADAM MAYOR, AFTER THIS MEETING IS COMPLETE, I'LL SIT DOWN WITH THE STAFF AND DISCUSS WHAT YOU KNOW BASED ON WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM YOU.

WHAT KIND OF A TIMEFRAME IS APPROPRIATE? IT WOULD BE THE DEADLINE THAT [INAUDIBLE] YOU NEED AN INTERIM ATTORNEY IN PLACE BY JANUARY 9TH. AS YOU SAID, THERE'S ANY NUMBER OF HOLIDAYS BETWEEN TODAY AND JANUARY 9TH.

YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE TO JUST MAP OUT A SCHEDULE THAT GETS US THERE.

YOU KNOW, BEING VERY HONEST COME NEXT WEEK, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.

I MEAN, I'M OUT OF POCKET.

I'M NOT GOING TO BE AVAILABLE COME THEN.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MONDAY, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY OF NEXT WEEK.

WE HAVE THE REMAINDER OF THIS WEEK.

SO LET'S FIND OUT HOW QUICKLY WE CAN GET THIS OUT AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE ON THEY ARE 48 HOURS. I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE LISTENING TO THIS.

AS COMMISSIONER GELIN SAID, THEY'RE WORKING ON THIS NOW.

THEY'RE JUST READY TO HIT THE BUTTON.

SO LET'S, YOU KNOW, LET'S PUT IT OUT THERE.

AND 48 HOURS.

LET'S ROLL IT BACK.

THANK YOU.

I WOULD AGREE. UNDERSTOOD, BUT WE STILL NEED THAT, WE'RE ONLY FOCUSING EVERYBODY ON THE PROCESS RIGHT HERE.

WE NEED TO HAVE THE FOCUS FOR THE REST OF THIS PROCESS.

IT'S WE'RE GOING TO GET THE APPLICATIONS IN IN 48 HOURS.

WHAT IS OUR TIME FRAME AND WHAT IS THE EXPECTATION TO THEN REVIEW THEM AND BRING IT FORWARD, INTERVIEW THEM AND THEN COME BACK TOGETHER FOR ANOTHER MEETING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE DETERMINATIONS? THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO FINISH IT.

WE CAN'T JUST START WITH A AND BE DONE SO WE'VE GOT THE BEGINNING PROCESS.

AND IF I THEN WHAT I'M HEARING IS WE'LL START THE PROCESS.

WE ASK FOR EVERYTHING IN WITHIN 48 HOURS, THEN ON WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK, THURSDAY, THIS WEEK, WE COME BACK TOGETHER FOR ANOTHER MEETING FOR THE CITY MANAGEMENT OFFICE TO HELP US CRAFT THE REST OF THE TIMELINE FOR WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

BUT I ALSO HEARD THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THIS PUBLISHED IN THE SUN AND THE SUN-SENTINEL.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW, IF ANY OF OUR QUICK 48 HOURS THAT WE'RE ASKING IS GOING TO CAUSE US ANY ISSUE WITH RUNNING AFOUL OF STATUTES.

SO WITH THAT QUESTION, I'M GOING TO BRING THIS TO DIRECTOR GLATZ AND ASK HIM TO HELP US WITH WHAT THAT OBLIGATION IS FOR US.

PLEASE. IF I MAY MAYOR, THE SUN-SENTINEL THAT I WAS SPECIFICALLY DISCUSSING THAT FOR THE FULL BLOWN PERMANENT PROCESS, WE COULD PROBABLY DO AN EMERGENCY PROCESS WITHOUT A REAL PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S AN INTERIM.

AND SO THAT THE AD WOULD NOT NECESSARILY APPLY TO THIS PROCESS, WE COULD PROBABLY HAVE SOMETHING OUT TO THEM WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS.

[01:25:01]

YOU'RE GETTING THE PHONE CALLS.

I DON'T KNOW WHO ANY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE.

SO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE SEND THROUGH, MIKE, THE NAMES OF THE FIRMS THAT YOU'RE RECEIVING PHONE CALLS FROM.

SO WE CAN BE SURE, ESPECIALLY AN EMAIL ADDRESSES, BECAUSE WE NEED TO WE NEED TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE WE DON'T MAINTAIN NECESSARILY A LIST OF LEGAL SERVICES HERE, BECAUSE IT IS, IN FACT, YOUR PROCESS.

SO I NEED THOSE NAMES AND AN EMAIL SO THAT WE CAN GET THE GET THE DOCUMENTS TO THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK, IF WE HAVE THAT, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING TO OPEN UP BY THURSDAY.

SO TO FINISH ON.

COMMISSIONER GELIN. GO AHEAD. YES, THE QUESTIONS THAT THAT MAYOR GOMEZ BROUGHT UP.

SO AS A COMMISSION, WE NEED TO DECIDE HOW MUCH TIME WE NEED TO REVIEW THE PROPOSALS THAT COME IN FOR THE INTERIM, WHETHER THAT ONE DAY, TWO DAYS OR THREE DAYS.

AND THEN WE NEED TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO DO A ONE DAY INTERVIEW PROCESS, A TWO DAY INTERVIEW PROCESS, DEPENDING ON YOUR YOUR WORK SCHEDULES, AND THEN MAYBE AFTER THE INTERVIEW PROCESS DO A ONE TO THREE DAY PERIOD FOR US TO MEET AND MAKE A SELECTION FOR THE INTERVIEW, I MEAN, FOR THE FINAL ROLL OF THE INTERIM ROLE.

SO AT A MAXIMUM A THREE DAY COMMISSION REVIEW, ONCE WE GET THE PROPOSALS IN.

A MAXIMUM TWO DAYS FOR THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND THEN A MAXIMUM OF THREE DAYS FOR US TO TAKE OUR TIME TO MAKE A SELECTION.

SO THAT'S THE TIMELINE, YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING OF.

AND I'M THINKING ONE TO THREE DAYS FOR EACH OF THOSE THOSE ITEMS. THAT'S THE TIMELINE THAT I WAS GOING TO GIVE MAYOR.

WELL, I WILL TELL YOU QUITE CLEARLY, I COULDN'T HEAR YOU QUITE CLEARLY BECAUSE I HAVE SOMEONE GOING OUTSIDE MY DOOR.

SO IF YOU WOULD PLEASE REPEAT THAT SO I CAN HEAR YOU BETTER AND I WILL TURN MY VOLUME UP HERE. SO THANK YOU.

PLEASE REPEAT. YEAH, SURE.

SO YOU WERE YOU KNOW, YOU WERE SAYING THAT WE KEPT TALKING ABOUT THE PROCESS OF GETTING BIDS OR GETTING LETTERS OF INTEREST.

SO WHAT DO WE DO AFTERWARDS? AFTERWARDS, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD NEED A ONE TO THREE DAY PERIOD TO REVIEW THE PROPOSALS THAT COME IN FOR THE INTERIM ROLE.

A ONE TO THREE DAY PERIOD FOR THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, FOR THE CITY CLERK TO SCHEDULE INTERVIEWS WITH US AND THOSE THAT HAVE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST AND THEN A ONE TO THREE DAY PERIOD FOR US TO DECIDE WHO OUR TOP THREE IS OR WHATEVER THE NUMBER ONE FIRM IS FOR US AND THEN FOR US TO GET TOGETHER AND DECIDE AND VOTE ON WHO'S THE WHO'S GOING TO BE THE INTERIM. SO.

I AGREE WITH YOU AGAIN, WHEN WE'RE DOING THE ONE TO THREE DAY PROCESS.

THE REASON THAT WE NEED TO HAVE IS LOOK AGAIN CALENDAR BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HIT CHRISTMAS. RIGHT.

[INAUDIBLE] SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I THINK THE DESIRE OF THE COMMISSION IS CLEAR IF WE WANT TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.

BUT I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE WITH A STEP BACK TO HAVE THIS GO BACK TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, TO THE CITY CLERK AND OUR PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR TO PROVIDE US WITH THAT TIME FRAME.

BASED ON WHAT THIS COMMISSION HAS SAID WITH THE TIME FRAME THAT SEEMS TO BE AGREED UPON, WE WILL CONFIRM THAT.

SO THIS WAY WE CAN HAVE SOME HARD DAYS AND BE ABLE TO FOLLOW THROUGH THAT WAY.

THIS WAY, IT'S NOT WILLY NILLY.

GO AHEAD, VICE MAYOR. SOUNDS LIKE COMMISSIONER GELIN HAS GIVEN US, LET'S SAY, TWENTY THIRD OF DECEMBER TO MAKE A DECISION.

OR WE CAN HAVE A MEETING TO DECIDE.

IS SAM'S OFFICE IS GOING TO HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO TRANSITION ALL THE INFORMATION THAT'S PENDING AND LITIGATIONS THAT'S PENDING UNTIL JANUARY 8TH, I WOULD ASSUME, BECAUSE JANUARY 9TH, I DON'T SEE IT HAPPENING.

ARE THOSE BUSINESS DAYS OR IS SAM'S OFFICE WORK HOLIDAYS, THANKSGIVING? WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THOSE DAYS? BECAUSE IT'S BY THE TWENTY THIRD OF NEXT WEEK.

WE ARE, WHICH IS A GOOD TIMEFRAME.

I WAS THINKING MONDAY BY MONDAY, OVER THE WEEKEND.

WE HAVE ALL THE PROPOSALS WE REVIEW AT OUR OWN, ON OUR OWN TIME.

AND BY MONDAY WE'RE HAVING A MEETING.

SO SINCE THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN THE 23RD SEEMS TO BE THE LATEST.

AND THEN WE HAVE JUST A FEW DAYS FOR SAM'S OFFICE TO TRANSITION THE TEAM.

IS THAT GOING. CAN SOMEONE CHIME IN ON THAT? CITY ATTORNEY? YES, MR. VICE MAYOR, JUST FOR THE RECORD, THE BULK OF THE LITIGATION BEING HANDLED, WHICH IS PENDING WITH THE COURT SYSTEM, IS WITH THE JOHNSON AND [INAUDIBLE] LAW FIRM EITHER ASSIGNED BY THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES, THE FMIT AND EVEN SOME OF THE SPECIAL COUNCIL MATTERS TO WHICH I REFERRED DURING THE CITY COMMISSION MEETING ON WEDNESDAY.

SO THE END RESULT OF WHICH IS THAT CASES ARE BEING HANDLED BY OTHER BRUCE JOHNSON OR MIKE

[01:30:02]

SO THERE'S NO INDEPENDENT MATTER THAT IS CURRENTLY PENDING IN OUR OFFICE, WHICH IS THE LITIGATION BASED THAT WOULD GO AT RISK.

AND I CLARIFY, MADAM MAYOR, THAT THE WORD LITIGATION THERE, ARE THERE SOME OTHER PENDING ISSUES, SOME REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONAL MATTERS, WHICH WILL REQUIRE SOME ATTENTION, WHICH I WOULD CHOOSE NOT TO GO INTO THIS MORNING, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT ARE IN PLAY EITHER INTERNALLY WITH FOLKS IN CITY HALL OR THIRD PARTIES, ALL OF WHICH I'M CONFIDENT WILL BE CAPTURED IN THE CONTEXT OF NOT BEING LOST IN ANY GAPS EITHER.

SO WE ARE FOLLOWING THE BAR RULES.

WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE.

WE WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE TIMELY AND PROMPT IN THE CONTEXT OF MAKING MAKING SURE THAT THOSE RULES ARE COMPLIED WITH IN EVERY INSTANCE, WITH REGARD TO ANY TRANSITION OF ANY KIND, WHETHER IT BE TO AN INTERIM COUNCIL OR A FULL TIME LAW FIRM AND OR AVAILABILITY TO TO ASSIST IN THAT REGARD AND COORDINATE BASED UPON OUR CURRENT CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP, WHICH IS A [INAUDIBLE] RELATIONSHIP, WILL ALSO CONTINUE.

THANK YOU, SAM. THANK YOU, MR. VICE MAYOR. THANK YOU.

IN LOOKING AT THE CALENDAR AND TRYING TO.

IF WE HAVE PROPOSALS IN BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.

WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THEM ON FOLLOWING WEEK, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AND INTERVIEW PROCESS STARTING THE WEEK OF THE 28TH.

AND THEN BE ABLE TO MEET BY THE FOURTH AS A COMMISSION AS A WHOLE.

FOR AN INITIAL DETERMINATION OF THE INTERIM ATTORNEY.

AGAIN, I KNOW THAT TAKES IT OUT OF THE LINE, BUT.

JUST LOOKING AT THOSE HOLIDAYS AND WHAT WAS WAS SCHEDULED, BUT COMMISSIONER BOLTON? THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, I AGREE WITH THE, YOU KNOW, RECEIVING THE LETTERS OF INTEREST AND SO FORTH AND THE TIMELINE FOR RECEIVING THOSE.

WHERE I STOP AGREEING IS THEN ANOTHER TIME LINE TO DO INTERVIEWS AND SO ON.

GIVEN THE SHORT TIME THAT WE THAT WE HAVE, I THINK THAT IF WE RECEIVE LETTERS OF INTEREST, LET'S SAY BY THURSDAY.

WE CAN CHOOSE OUR TOP THREE FROM THOSE INDIVIDUALLY, WE CAN CHOOSE OUR TOP THREE, WE CAN SUBMIT THOSE TO THE CITY MANAGER AND STEVE GLATZ, THEN HE THEY COME BACK AND SAY, HEY, THESE ARE THE TOP THREE AMONG ALL OF US.

AND THEN WE INTERVIEW THOSE PEOPLE IN THE TOP THREE AND CHOOSE SOMEONE, BECAUSE THEN IF WE'RE GOING TO GET A HUNDRED LETTERS, I DON'T THINK WE WILL.

BUT LET'S SAY WE DO.

THEN YOU ARE EXPECTING US TO GO THROUGH ALL THOSE LETTERS AND THEN INTERVIEW ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE CUMULATIVELY, WE'D NEVER GET THERE.

SO LET US GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THE LETTERS OF INTEREST.

AND BY THURSDAY, WHOEVER APPLIES, EACH OF US WILL LOOK AT THE LETTERS AND THE RESUMES IN THE PACKAGE AND THE PACKAGES AND THAT SORT OF STUFF.

WE PUT FORWARD EACH OF OUR TOP THREE, SEND IT TO MR. CERNECH OR THE CITY OR WE'LL SEND IT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE DECIDE FROM THERE, AT LEAST WE KNOW NOW WE HAVE TOP THREE AND WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT INTERVIEWING ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE.

AND I THINK WE CAN GET THAT DONE IN SHORT ORDER.

COMMISSIONER BOLTON, I AGREE WITH YOU NARROW IT DOWN TO A GROUP CERTAIN TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR PROCESS. THE COMPILATION OF ALL DOCUMENTS THAT WOULD BE RECEIVED ON THE 17TH WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE ON THE 18TH AND THEN PROVIDED TO US, WHICH IS WHY I WAS SAYING, IF WE CAN GET THAT TO US FOR SEVERAL DAYS TO REVIEW, WE HAVE IT BY THE END OF THE DAY ON THE 18TH, GIVING OUR STAFF ABILITY AND TIME TO PUT THIS TOGETHER FOR US.

AND WE COULD BE REVIEWING OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, PRESUMABLY, IF WE CAN GET IT OUR TOP THREE TO THE CITY CLERK BY THE 22ND.

OR THE 21ST WE NEED TO PICK A DAY, SO THEN WE CAN THEN HAVE IT COMPILED BY THE TWENTY

[01:35:04]

AND I'M PRETTY SURE NOBODY WANTS TO BE WORKING ON THIS OVER THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY AND THE WEEKEND. SO THAT'S WHY I WAS SAYING BRING IT BACK AROUND ON THE TWENTY EIGHTH AND BE ABLE TO START THAT INTERVIEW PROCESS WITH THE NARROWED DOWN TO THREE.

I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT NARROWING DOWN TO THREE.

DOES THAT SCHEDULE WORK FOR THIS COMMISSION? I CAN RESPOND IF I STILL HAVE THE FLOOR, [INAUDIBLE].

OK, SO I MEAN, STARTING ON THE 22ND, CHRISTMAS IS A BIG DEAL FOR ME.

SO I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE OUT OF THE EQUATION, AT LEAST FOR ME, THE 22ND, 23RD ALL THE WAY TO THE 26TH.

RIGHT. I MEAN.

I DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE LIKES CHRISTMAS, BUT I DO.

SO MY CUT OFF TIME.

SOME PEOPLE LIKE HANUKKAH AND KWANZAA AND THAT STUFF OR DON'T CELEBRATE.

SOME OF CELEBRATE IT ALL AND ARE VERY HAPPY TO CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS AND THE JOY OF WHAT'S GOING ON THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

VERY IMPORTANT. ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY. SO I WOULD SAY THAT IF THE CITY CLERK GETS EVERYTHING BACK TO US ON THE 18TH, WHICH IS THIS FRIDAY, AND THEN WE HAVE UNTIL THE TWENTY FIRST, LET'S SAY AT FIVE O'CLOCK TO GET EVERYTHING BACK TO HER, THAT WOULD BE SUFFICIENT.

AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE ON MY PART.

SO GET EVERYTHING TO US THIS FRIDAY THE 18TH, AND THEN WE'LL GET IT BACK TO HER ON THE 21ST AT LEAST WOULD HAVE THE WEEKEND TO LOOK OVER IT AND GIVE IT BACK TO YOU BY THE TWENTY FIRST. WHICH WAS MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT I WAS SAYING, SO THIS WAY THE CLERK HAS THE 22ND TO COMPILE IT AND THEN WE CAN START PREPARING.

WE AGREE FOR THE SECOND TIME IN HISTORY.

I KNOW YOU'RE SHOCKED. I'M SURPRISED YOU'RE STILL SITTING ON YOUR CHAIR.

SURPRISED EVERYBODY STILL SITTING ON THE CHAIR AT THIS POINT.

SO THEN REALISTICALLY, THOUGH.

WE'LL BE BACK IN SADDLE ON THE TWENTY EIGHT IF THE CITY CLERK HAS THE ABILITY THROUGH OUR CALENDARS, COORDINATING WITH OUR OFFICE TO START WHATEVER INTERVIEW PROCESS WE HAVE TO DO ON THE TWENTY EIGHT, WHICH IS AFTER THE MONDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS, BECAUSE I'M SURE WE NEED TO GET THIS DONE BEFORE THE MIDWEEK OF DECEMBER 31ST IS NEW YEAR'S EVE.

SO FOR CLARITY, YOU'D LIKE LETTERS OF INTEREST SUBMITTED TO THE CITY MANAGER OR TO THE CITY BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON THE 17TH, WHICH IS THURSDAY.

YOU'D LIKE FOR STAFF TO REVIEW AND PROVIDE THOSE LETTERS OF INTEREST BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS TO THE CITY COMMISSION ON THE 18TH.

THEN THE COMMISSION WILL REVIEW AND PROVIDE THEIR TOP THREE ON THE TWENTY FIRST AND THEN WE WILL COMPILE THE THREE, THE TOP THREE AND GIVE THEM BACK TO YOU, THE CITY COMMISSION ON THE TWENTY SECOND.

AND THEN YOU WOULD WANT TO SCHEDULE INTERVIEWS WITH THE TOP THREE ON THE TWENTY EIGHTH.

DOES THAT SOUND, CITY COMMISSION OK.

ACTUALLY CITY CLERK WHY DON'T YOU CALL THE ROLL FOR THIS? SO BEFORE YOU CALL THE ROLL, JUST REITERATE SO WE ALL KNOW, WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.

OK, IT'S NOT IT'S NOT A VOTE AT THIS POINT.

IT'S JUST A CLARIFICATION BEFORE WE GO TO A VOTE, IF YOU WANT TO CONVERT TO THE VOTE AFTERWARDS, WE WILL. BUT RIGHT NOW, THIS IS JUST THE CONFIRMATION OF OUR PROCESS.

SO CITY CLERK, PLEASE GO FORWARD AGAIN.

WANT ME READ THE PARAMETERS AGAIN? YES PLEASE. OK, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LETTERS OF INTEREST SUBMITTED TO THIS CITY BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON THURSDAY, 12/17.

WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW AND PROVIDE THOSE LETTERS OF INTEREST TO THE CITY COMMISSION BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON FRIDAY THE 18TH.

THE COMMISSION WILL REVIEW AND PROVIDE THEIR TOP THREE BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON THE TWENTY FIRST, WHICH IS MONDAY.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THOSE TOP THREE AND DETERMINE WHAT THE TRUE TOP THREE ARE AND HAVE THAT BACK TO YOU ON THE TWENTY SECOND.

WE'RE GOING TO SCHEDULE A PUBLIC MEETING FOR INTERVIEWS ON THE TWENTY EIGHTH WITH THE TOP THREE. YES.

AND THEN FROM THERE, IF I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, WE ARE ABLE TO THEN HAVE OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS IN THE PROCESS.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, YES, WE OWN THE PROCESS SO WHATEVER WE WANT.

SO THEN DO WE WANT TO HAVE OUR FINAL MEETING SCHEDULED WHILE WE'RE SITTING HERE, I'M ADDING ON TO WHAT HAS BEEN CLARIFIED TO HAVE OUR FINAL MEETING ON THE 30TH OR THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 31ST? I DON'T KNOW.

[01:40:02]

WELL, THEN WE MAY NOT HAVE TIME FOR THE INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS, WHICH IS WHAT CONCERNS ME IF WE DECIDE THAT IN TWENTY EIGHT, SOME OF US MAY NOT WE MAY NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH PEOPLE INDIVIDUALLY IF WE HAVE AN APPLICANT WE WANT TO TALK WITH.

[INAUDIBLE], I'M SORRY TO THE CHAIR.

MADAM CLERK, DID YOU HAVE INTERVIEWS BUILT IN THAT TIMELINE? I DID NOT HAVE INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS IN THAT TIMELINE, BUT WE COULD THEY COULD BE IN BETWEEN THE TWENTY SECOND AND THE TWENTY EIGHTH AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE THE GROUP.

THE WAY THAT I UNDERSTAND WE WOULD HAVE THE GROUP PUBLIC MEETING ON THE TWENTY EIGHT FOR THE TOP THREE. OK.

WELL. I HAVE TROUBLE HAVING INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS DURING THE TWENTY SECOND THROUGH THE TWENTY EIGHT IS A VERY DIFFICULT TIME.

AS YOU'VE HEARD, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE DUE TO THE HOLIDAYS AND THEN WE RESTRICT THE ABILITY TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION.

SO MAYBE WE NEED TO HAVE OUR INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS, BUT WE WILL KNOW.

WE'LL KNOW BY.

THE TWENTY THIRD, CITY CLERK WHO THE RANKING IS? YOU'LL KNOW ON THE TWENTY SECOND WHO THE WHO THE SUBMITTED TOP THREE ARE FOR EACH ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS, YOU'LL KNOW WHO THE TOP THREE ARE.

OK, SO WE'LL KNOW THE RANKING FOR EVERYBODY.

SO THEN IT MAKES IT.

WHERE ARE WE HAVING ALL THE INTERVIEWS POTENTIALLY ON THE TWENTY EIGHTH INDIVIDUALLY OR WE FOREGOING INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS.

I KNOW THAT, I DON'T WANT TO SAY AT THIS TIME THAT I WANT TO FORGO MY INDIVIDUAL MEETING.

SO THEN MAYBE WE NEED TO HAVE MEETINGS ON THE TWENTY EIGHT AND THE TWENTY NINTH AND SET THE MEETING FOR THE JOINT MEETING WITH EVERYBODY TO BE ON THE 30TH.

AND THEN WE CAN MAKE A FINAL DETERMINATION ON THE 30TH.

BECAUSE WE'VE GOT FIVE PEOPLE POTENTIALLY WITH THREE FIRMS THAT A LOT OF CONVERSATION, AND SO I DON'T THINK WE CAN IT WOULD BE FAIR FOR US TO SAY TO THE APPLICANTS, ONLY GET IT DONE ON THE TWENTY EIGHTH. I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO THE COMMISSION TO DO THAT EITHER.

SO I AMEND THE REQUEST FOR THE TIMING PURPOSES TO ALLOW FOR THE TWENTY EIGHT AND TWENTY NINE FOR THIS COMMISSION TO THEN REACH OUT TO THE APPLICANT IF THEY SO DESIRE APPLICANTS, THE THREE TOP APPLICANTS, IF THEY DESIRE TO THEN SET THIS MEETING FOR MAKING A DECISION FOR DECEMBER 30TH.

[INAUDIBLE] I KEEP HEARING A LOT OF DATES CHANGING, I WOULD LIKE, IF IT'S OK FOR THE COMMISSION BODY FOR COMMISSIONER GELIN AS TO AS COMMISSIONER BOLTON SAID, TO LEAD ON THIS AND WE STICK TO COMMISSIONER GELIN'S SUGGESTION, BECAUSE NOW, IN MY OPINION, WE SHOULD HAVE ALL THIS DONE BY THE TWENTY THIRD.

WE'RE HAVING A TOP THREE BY THE TWENTY SECOND.

WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SPEAK TO ANY TO TALK TO THREE PEOPLE THAT SAME DAY.

AND BY THE NEXT DAY, WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT TO DO.

SO NOW WE'RE EXTENDING THIS.

I'M TO THE TWENTY EIGHTH.

I'VE HEARD NOW THE 30TH.

THIS SHOULD BE FINISHED BY THE TWENTY THIRD.

IF WE ARE IN FACT LIKE I SAID THREE PRESENTED ON THE TWENTY SECOND.

WE HAVE IT'S A FIVE MINUTE CONVERSATION WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WITH EACH ATTORNEY FOR THE INTERIM ATTORNEY BY THE TWENTY THIRD.

WE ALL SHOULD KNOW WHAT WE WANT.

SO IF I MAY OH I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DO THIS, BUT IF COMMISSIONER GELIN CAN LEAD ON THIS VERSUS HAVING FIVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS BECAUSE APPARENTLY HE HAS MORE EXPERIENCE IN A PROCUREMENT PROCESS THAT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT.

VICE MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPINION.

WE ARE A COMMISSION. WE MAKE DECISIONS TOGETHER.

WE DON'T DESIGNATE ONE OVER THE OTHER.

THAT IS NOT HOW THE COMMISSION SUPPOSED TO WORK.

IT'S A BODY OF A COMMISSION OF FIVE.

BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I THINK THERE HAS BEEN AGREEMENT FOR HOW THIS SHOULD WORK.

AND IF WE LISTEN TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSION, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE TO MAKE THOSE CALLS DURING THE TIME LINE THAT YOU ARE EXPRESSING.

SO THEREFORE, WE ALREADY HAVE AN AGREEMENT RIGHT NOW.

THE PROCESS UP UNTIL WHEN WE HAVE THE PUBLIC MEETING FOR WHEN WE WILL BE INTERVIEWING EVERYBODY, THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE THAT WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCUSSION AT THIS POINT. SINCE THERE IS DESIRE FOR PEOPLE TO MEET OR TALK WITH THE FINAL THREE APPLICANTS INDIVIDUALLY BEFORE THERE IS THE GROUP PROCESS.

SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S CONCERN ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE WOULD BE AMPLE TIME FOR THE TRANSITION. I AM VERY CERTAIN THAT OUR CITY ATTORNEY, THE FIRM, WILL MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER TRANSITION IS GOING TO HAPPEN, WILL BE ABLE TO HAPPEN IF WE STILL MAKE OUR

[01:45:03]

COMMISSIONER GELIN? YEAH, I'M OK WITH THE LAST TIMELINE THAT WAS OUTLINED I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT SCHEDULES AND PRIORITIES.

SO WHETHER THE TWENTY, THE THIRTIETH I'M OK WITH THAT.

AND YOU KNOW, AS WE ALL KNOW, WE CAN HAVE OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE INTERESTED APPLICANTS.

SO YOU MAY NOT EVEN HAVE A SECOND INTERVIEW PROCESS, BUT I'M OK GIVEN THE GIVEN THE HOLIDAYS AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS ALREADY STATED THAT A LOT OF THE CASES ARE THROUGH THE BROWN LEAGUE OF CITIES AND THE FIRMS THAT THE BROWN LEAGUE OF CITIES HAS. SO THAT'S THERE'S REALLY NOT GOING TO BE MUCH OF A OF A DIFFICULT TRANSITION.

SO EXTENDING IT TO THE TWENTY EIGHT OR THE 30TH SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM.

AND IT ALLOWS FOR EVERYONE TO HAVE THEIR TIME DURING THE HOLIDAYS.

AND IF YOU WANT, WE CAN JUST NARROW DOWN TO THE TWENTY NINTH.

THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

WE CAN HAVE OUR INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS ON THE TWENTY EIGHT AND HAVE OUR GROUP MEETING ON THE TWENTY NINTH. COMMISSIONER BOLTON? I WAS I WAS GOING TO SAY JUST THAT SO WE CAN HAVE A MEETING COMMISSION MEETING ON THE TWENTY NINTH AND TAKE THE TWENTY EIGHTH TO WRAP UP ANY DISCUSSIONS THAT WE WANT TO HAVE WITH, WITH PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO PUSH IT TO THE TWENTY NINTH. I THINK THAT IS SUFFICIENT.

HOWEVER, I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A BUILT IN.

PLAN B TO, OK, SO LET'S SAY NOBODY APPLIES THE INTERIM POSITION.

WHAT DO WE DO? WELL, I AGREE WITH YOU, I KNOW, I KNOW THAT'S HARD TO HAVE THREE IN ONE MEETING, BUT I AGREE WITH YOU.

I HAVE WRITTEN DOWN WHAT HAPPENS IF NOBODY APPLIES.

I THINK THAT WE WILL KNOW THAT IF NOBODY APPLIES BY THE 17TH.

WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY MEETING TO DISCUSS NEXT STEPS, AND I THINK WE CAN COME WITH IT AT THAT TIME. MADAM MAYOR, IF IT IS YOUR PLEASURE, I THINK THAT WE CAN SCHEDULE THAT COMMISSION MEETING NOW TO BE THE 21ST.

SO IF NOBODY APPLIES BY THE 18TH, WE HAVE A MEETING ON THE TWENTY FIRST TO DISCUSS NEXT STEPS.

INSTEAD OF HAVING A WHOLE WEEK GAP THAT WE COULD HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO IF NOBODY APPLIES FOR THE INTERIM POSITION, WE WOULD HAVE KNOWN BY THE 17TH OR THE 18TH.

SO LET US TAKE THE TIME NOW TO SAY, OK, NOBODY APPLIES FOR THE INTERIM POSITION.

LET US HAVE A MEETING, THEN AN AUTOMATIC MEETING ON THE 21ST WILL OCCUR.

I THINK THAT'S ENOUGH FOR A 48 HOUR NOTICE.

AND YOU KNOW WE CAN DISCUSS NEXT STEPS, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T DO THAT, WE WOULD CALL AN EMERGENCY MEETING ON THE 28TH AND WOULD HAVE LOST THE ENTIRE WEEK OF THE TWENTY FIRST.

AGREED. SO BASICALLY REVISING OUR PROCEDURES AS WE'RE SAYING THEN WE WILL INCLUDE IN HERE THAT THERE WOULD BE IF NO APPLICATIONS ARE RECEIVED.

NO LOIS ARE SUBMITTED BY 3:00 P.M.

THURSDAY ON DECEMBER 17ST.

THEN THERE WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE A MEETING AT 9:00 A.M.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 21ST VIRTUALLY TO DISCUSS THE NEXT STEPS.

YES, OK.

MR. GELIN? DIRECTOR, DOES THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES PROVIDE CITY ATTORNEYS SERVICES? MAY I RESPOND TO THE COMMISSIONER? THE ANSWER IS NO, THEY PROVIDE SPECIAL COUNSEL SERVICES, PRINCIPALLY IN THE DEFENSE OF LITIGATION UNDER THE CURRENT INDEMNIFICATION POLICY WE HAVE WITH THE FLORIDA LEAGUE AND THE FMIT.

AND ALSO JUST TO REITERATE TO COMMISSIONER GELIN AND TO THE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WE WILL WE WILL FOLLOW THE BAR RULES AS REQUIRED, AND WE'LL CERTAINLY, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE ALLOW THE CITY TO BE LEFT IN THE LURCH IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, NO MATTER WHAT THE CONDITIONS ARE. THIS DISCUSSION WITH THE RESULTS OF ANY APPLICATIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE, OBVIOUSLY THE RELATIONSHIP IS IT WAS ONE BASED ON ETHICS AND BASED ON GOOD FAITH.

AND THAT WILL CONTINUE NOTWITHSTANDING WHATEVER COMES IN OR DOES NOT.

OK. ALSO, CITY ATTORNEY THROUGH THE CHAIR, WILL YOU HAVE A RESPONSE TO US BY THE THURSDAY THE 17TH AFTER DISCUSSING WITH YOUR FIRM WHETHER OR NOT YOU'LL EXTEND THE DATE BEYOND THE

[01:50:05]

THANKS CITY ATTORNEY.

COMMISSIONER GELIN ARE YOU COMPLETE? YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO.

THIS IS A MATTER THAT CAN COME TO A VOTE.

I DO KNOW I HAVE A. I WOULD LIKE THE CITY CLERK TO REREAD THE TIMELINE, PLEASE, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.

THANK YOU. YES PLEASE.

THANK YOU. AND MADAM MAYOR, I'M SORRY CITY CLERK, IF I MAY MADAM MAYOR.

I'M JUST JUST TO BE CLEAR THAT THIS IS THE INTERIM FOR THE INTERIM ATTORNEY PROCESS AND NOT FOR THE PERMANENT.

I JUST WANT THAT ON THE RECORD.

CORRECT. OK, THE TIMELINE AS I HAVE IT IS.

THE LETTERS OF INTEREST WOULD BE SUBMITTED BY 3:00 PM THIS THURSDAY TO THE CITY PROCUREMENT AND THE CITY WOULD REVIEW THOSE AND PROVIDE THEM TO THE CITY COMMISSION NO LATER THAN CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON FRIDAY THE 18TH.

THEN WE WOULD HAVE THE TOP THREE SUBMISSIONS SUBMITTED BACK TO THE CITY FROM THE CITY COMMISSION ON THE TWENTY FIRST.

ON THE TWENTY SECOND, WE WOULD COMPILE THOSE AND PROVIDE THEM BACK TO THE CITY COMMISSION ON WHO THE TOP THREE WERE.

THEN ON THE TWENTY EIGHTH AND THE TWENTY NINTH, WE COULD HAVE INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING ON 12/30.

IN THE EVENT THAT NO ONE APPLIES FOR THE INTERIM POSITION, THEN WE WOULD HAVE AN EMERGENCY MEETING ON 12/21, WHICH WOULD BE MONDAY AT NINE A.M.

TO DISCUSS.

IF I MAY, CITY CLERK. I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A CHANGE THAT WE WOULD DO INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS ON THE TWENTY EIGHTH AND WE WOULD SET THE GROUP MEETING FOR INTERVIEW ON THE TWENTY NINTH. OK.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, SO THAT IS.

EVERYBODY IS, I'LL TAKE A NOD FROM EVERYBODY AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

ALL RIGHT. NOD, THUMBS UP.

GOOD.

COMMISSIONER BOLTON GIVE ME A NOD OR A THUMBS UP.

I AGREE WITH THAT. THANK YOU.

SO AT THIS TIME, I KNOW THAT THERE IS A PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WISHES TO BE MADE.

SO I'M GOING TO OPEN PUBLIC COMMENTS.

PUBLIC COMMENTS. SO I ACTUALLY HAVE QUITE A FEW AT THIS MOMENT.

SO NATASHA [INAUDIBLE] SAYS HOW LONG WOULD THE INTERIM ATTORNEY REMAIN THE INTERIM ATTORNEY, A FULL TIME CITY ATTORNEY IS AGREED UPON.

THEN WE HAVE MICHELLE JONES.

HOW DO WE KNOW AS RESIDENTS THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A NONBIASED DECISION WHEN IT COMES TO HIRING A FIRM? I THINK IT SHOULD NOT BE MANIPULATED BY HALF OF THE COMMISSION OR BOARD. AND HOPEFULLY THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO HIRE A FIRM THAT THEY CAN CONTROL AND USE FOR THEIR OWN VENDETTAS. SCOTT [INAUDIBLE], AFTER WHAT AMOUNTED TO SOLICITATION OF A BRIBE BY MR. BOLTON ON THE 9TH, I'M SURPRISED HE'S STILL HERE.

KATHY [INAUDIBLE], HERE WE GO.

I WAS WONDERING WHEN THE PERSONAL ATTACKS WOULD START.

PATTI [INAUDIBLE] LOSING SAM GOREN IS A HORRIFIC LOSS TO THE CITY.

NATASHA BRITTON AS LONG AS THE LANGUAGE IS TRANSPARENT AND FOLLOW CITY, COUNTY, STATE STATUTE FOR THE RFP, IT SHOULD MINIMIZE SOME BIASES.

NATASHA [INAUDIBLE] WE ARE WITH A GRADING SCALE TEMPLATE.

RFP SHOULD BE OPEN AND CLOSED FOR SEVENTY TWO HOURS.

STAFF REVIEWS THAT AFTER IT'S CLOSED AND INTERVIEWS THE LAST WEEK OF THE YEAR.

I DON'T LIKE A TOP THREE SUBMISSION UNLESS THEY ARE CHOSEN BY CONSISTENT CRITERIA RUBRIC THAT EACH COMMISSION HAS.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AT THIS TIME, PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED.

AND SECOND, ON THE SCHEDULE THAT HAS BEEN, COMMISSIONER GELIN YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? YEAH.

COMMENTS? WE DON'T TALK BACK TO THEM DURING A REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING, AND THERE'S NO NEED TO DO SO AT THIS TIME.

BUT IF YOU HAVE OTHER COMMENTS, PLEASE GO FORWARD.

WELL, MY I GUESS MY COMMENT IS WE SHOULD WE SHOULD CHANGE THAT.

WE REPRESENT THE RESIDENTS.

AND, YOU KNOW, IF THEY HAVE OPINIONS, WE SHOULD.

WE SHOULD. AND STRONG FEELINGS THAT MAY BE INCORRECT.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THAT.

BUT I'LL STOP HERE AND JUST CONTINUE ON WITH THIS PROCESS.

BUT I WILL EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO THE RESIDENTS AND WANT TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A FAIR PROCESS AND MAKE SURE THAT THIS CITY IS BEING TAKEN CARE OF.

THANK YOU. I AM LOOKING FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND.

FOR THE PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN DELINEATED BY A CITY CLERK.

MOTION TO APPROVE.

SECOND. WELL, I GOT THREE SECONDS.

ONE MOTION. CHOOSE ONE.

EXACTLY. I HEARD VICE MAYOR BOLTON FIRST FOR THE SECOND.

SHE MEANT VICE MAYOR VILLALOBOS.

[01:55:04]

YES. COMMISSIONER BOLTON.

COMMISSIONER BOLTON, YES.

VICE MAYOR VILLALOBOS. YES.

COMMISSIONER GELIN. YES.

AND MAYOR GOMEZ.

YES. THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME IN THE PROCESS.

I KNOW WE WILL FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THE PROCESS FOR THE APPLICATION, FOR THE INTERIM, FOR THE PERMANENT CITY ATTORNEY AFTER WE HAVE OUR INTERIM ATTORNEY IN PLACE.

EVERYONE'S VOICES ARE HEARD AND YOUR TIME IS APPRECIATED.

I'M GOING TO SEE YOU BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS, I PRESUME, BUT IF NOT VERY HAPPY, VERY MERRY, VERY SAFE HOLIDAYS TO EVERYBODY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED IT IS 11:02.

THANK YOU. BYE EVERYONE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.