GULFPORT TO HIRE MUNICIPAL LAW FIRM
Once burdened with a slew of City Officials with the word “Acting” before their titles, (City Manager, City Clerk, Police Chief and City Attorney), Gulfport finally is about to retire the term from our letterhead by choosing the option of hiring a municipal law firm and its partner Andrew Salzman as the City Attorney.
Thus ends the seemingly endless debate as to whether the City should create a full-time City Attorney, hire a part time attorney as we had in the past or hire a municipal firm that could provide a multi-service approach.
By consensus, at the City Council Workshop on April 22, the Council directed City Manager O’Reilly to draw up a contract with the Palm Harbor law firm Zimmet, Unice and Salzman, P.A. to act as City Attorney. The firm, primarily in the person of Attorney Andrew J. Salzman has been Acting City Attorney for several months after the resignation of a full-time Acting Attorney, (now Judge), Thomas Minkoff.
While the details of the contract are not yet available, Attorney Salzman stated that it would be a simple fee-for-services agreement at the rate of $150 per hour with no retainer. Included among many services will be the attendance of an attorney at all City Council and Planning and Zoning Advisory Board Meetings.
According to data provided to the Council by the City Manager, the hiring of the firm will result in the lowest cost to the city. A Contractural City Attorney similar to our prior arrangement with attorney Driscoll where a retainer fee is involved would cost, on average about $94,000 per year. Based on Attorney Minkoff’s full-time tenure, annual cost would be at least $108,000 per year. Based on the seven months of interim service under the same terms as proposed, annual costs of the Salzman firm would be between $45,000 and $70,000 per year. So, from a strictly financial standpoint, it appears that the decision to hire the multi-purpose firm was a no-brainer.
While the firm is a general purpose firm representing a prestigious list of corporate clients including: Canadian Safety Insurance Company; Patriot Bank; Florida Rock Industries/Vulcan Materials; Geico and Guardian Insurance company of Canada, it appears to specialize in municipal law.
Among its municipal clients are: The City of Safety Harbor; The City of Largo and the Town of Reddington Beach.
Other governmental agency clients include: Citrus County; The Clearwater Code Enforcement Board; The Lealman Special Fire Control District; The Palm Harbor Community Services Agency; The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, (PSTA) and the Spring Hill Fire Rescue and Emergency Medical Services District.
Including the three partners, there are seven attorneys associated with the firm.
Any chance we can get the last one back? Even though he appeared to lack competence, he was easy to find even at night. Something about slime trails; they tend to shine in moonlight.
Actually, I am amazed that the city has opted for both what seems a good primary attorney and for the depth of experience his firm offers. The proposal sounds very much based upon the logic put forth by Mr. Worthington and Ms Stull and which was greeted with derision by the remainder of Council. Hard to believe the City went for competence over malleability. A real clerk and a real attorney may destabalize the regime.
Aardvark said: The proposal sounds very much based upon the logic put forth by Mr. Worthington and Ms Stull and which was greeted with derision by the remainder of Council.
I would be interested in the documentation that demonstrates that this proposal was introduced by Worthington and Stull and ridiculed by the remaining council.
Perhaps Aardvark is referring to Ryerson as Stull was already off the Council by the time the attorny shenanigans started. I don’t know that Worthington “introduced” an alternative but he clearly stated that he was oppossed to hiring a full time in house attorney. Ryerson also indicated that she did not feel there was enough work for a full time in house attorney. Appears Salzman has shown that to be true. It is a good choice. I never weighed in on the issues with Tim but after having observed Salzman’s work I can see where he may not have been the best fit for these times. Bottom line though…down the road the council in place may not like Salzman. i think that comes with the territory. Let’s wish him well while we have him!
Was in fact the points put forth WAY back when the issue arose about a year before departure of Driscoll. Stull and Worthinton put forth very clear views on the matter. Essentially, King and Mayor (as seen on council DVDs and in an email one of their fellow Lions saying they needed to have a rush meeting at the club to figure out how to dump Driscoll in order to get someone that was in essence beholden to Yakes only. If any one cares to see the words leave their lips one need only search the record for the Fall preceeding the debacle of Driscoll’s quasi public execution by King. Henderson seems to have been the designated dupe to ensure Minkoff, as poor a choice as one could ask, but a pal of the senior dude and the Real boss, was prepped and ready complete with resume, at the final agony of the Driscoll saga.
History, folks, did not start today.
As for the ward 4 guy, I’d take the Subaru…and be more selective with whom I opted to imbibe.
By the way, it may not be that he does not read the WatchDog, (which I doubt is the case) but that his literary capacity is linited to his own hype.
….looks like Worthington wanted to fire Driscoll in March 2007.
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/03/28/Neighborhoodtimes/St_Pete_Beach__Gulfpo.shtml
Yes mtober, I remember that article and considered it when asking Aardvark for Worthington and Stull’s proposal. Thanks for the link.