RPVCCA_SS_SR_2013_02_19_2a_City_Attorney_RoleCITY OF
MEMORANDUM
RANCHO PALOS VERDES
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:.
City Council Members
Mayor Brooks
February 19,2013
City Attorney Role
Recommendation:
Approve the proposed amended language for City Council Policy No.4.
Discussion:
In the interests of transparency,fiscal stewardship and accountability,I propose that the
Council as a whole more effectively exercise its ability to approve and control the
assignments given to the City Attorney.To that end,I would propose that the City
Council modify the language of City Council Policy No.4.The City Attorney has worked
with me on appropriate wording,as follows:
"It shall be the policy of the City Council that all requests from Council Members to the
City Attorney first be approved by the City Council at a duly convened City Council
meeting for the folloWing:1)written legal opinions requiring research;and,2)other legal
research by the City Attorney that will take more than approximately one hour of time to
complete.
"However,individual Council Members may request opinions from the City Attorney
without City Council approval should the matter pertain to their own conflict of interest
issue.
"Any request for information or work that is not a legal issue should be directed to the
City Manager."
Attachments:
Proposed Amended City Council Policy NO.4
City Council Policy No.4
SS2a-1
PROPOSED AMENDED POLICY
CITY COUNCIL POLICY
NUMBER:4
DATE ADOPTED/AMENDED:02/04/92 (Amended )
SUBJECT:Requests for City Attorney Opinions
POLICY:'
It shall be the policy of the City Council that all requests from Council Members to the
City Attorney first be approved by the City Council at a duly convened City Council
meeting for the following:1)written legal opinions requiring research;and,2)other
legal research by the City Attorney that will take more than approximately one hour of
time to complete.
However,individual Council Members may request opinions from the City Attorney
without City Council approval should the matter pertain to their own conflict of interest
issue.
Any request for information or work that is not a legal issue should be directed to the
City Manager.
BACKGROUND:
The City Council recognized the need to control requests from Council Members for
legal opinions and/or significant work or research by the City Attorney,due to fiscal
concerns,transparency and accountability.
SS2a-2
CITY COUNCIL POLICY
NUMBER:4
DATE ADOPTED/AMENDED:02/04/92
SUBJECT:Requests for city Attorney opinions
POLICY:
It shall be the policy of the City Council that all requests for
researched~written legal opinions from individual Council
members be approved by the City council at a duly convened
meeting df the City council.However,individual council members
may request opinions from the City Attorney without city council
approval should the matter relate to a city-related,personal
conflict of interest issue.
BACKGROUND:
The City council recognized the need to control requests for
opinion and/or research by the City Attorney due to fiscal
concerns.
b/c:opinion.pol
SS2a-3