CC RES 2018-021 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-21
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CALIFORNIA,AMENDING THE
DESIGNATION OF CITY ATTORNEY
WHEREAS, Aleshire&Wynder, LLP("A&W") is a full service public law firm founded
in 2003 with expertise in planning and land use, labor and employment, public finance,
code enforcement, litigation, land movement, contracts, public works construction, public
records, Brown Act, coastal, and all other areas of municipal law; and
WHEREAS, in September 2015, A&W, by its name partner David J. Aleshire, Esq.,
was appointed City Attorney of the city of Rancho Palos Verdes ("City"); and
WHEREAS, since that time A&W has acted as City Attorney performing legal
services involving a number of significant legal issues for the City, including: Green Hills
Memorial Park land use issues and resolving the Vista Verde litigation; landslide issues
including the Park and Joannou litigations; prepared a wireless regulatory ordinance and
processing of Crown Castle applications; the revision of the decades-old general plan;
adoption of a short-term rental regulatory ordinance and related enforcement actions;
negotiated the City's first MOUs with its bargaining units; successfully defended
employment actions and prepared new City employment policies; prepared and adopted a
Council Rules of Procedure Manual, updating Council policies and a Code of Conduct
including means to enforce adherence by its members; dealt with numerous public records
issues; and pursued other transparency policies including adopting a Fraud Hotline; and
WHEREAS, the designated City Attorney also serves as the A&W Managing Partner
which has resulted in his undertaking increasingly demanding duties; and
WHEREAS, William W. Wynder, Esq., also a named partner in A&W, has been
practicing public law for well over 30 years, is a former litigator with Latham &Watkins, LLP
and Rutan & Tucker, LLP. and has, over the last 20 years, served as the city attorney for
the cities of Carson, Cypress, and Lawndale; and General Counsel for the Palmdale Water
District and the Rossmoor Community Services District; and
WHEREAS, given the increasing administrative and other demands on the A&W
Managing Partner, A&W has proposed that Mr. Wynder replace Mr. Aleshire as the City
Attorney for City, and its subordinate and related public entities; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has carefully considered A&W's proposal, interviewed
Mr. Wynder, reviewed his resume, and find him appropriately qualified to serve as City
Attorney with sufficient time and legal skills to provide quality legal services to City; and
WHEREAS, A&W, and Messrs.Aleshire and Wynder, in particular, shall coordinate
a transition in the role of City Attorney in an efficient, cost-effective, and seamless manner
to City with Mr. Aleshire continuing to provide legal services for special projects such as the
preparation and presentation of a City charter; and
WHEREAS, that certain "Contract Services Agreement for City Attorney Services"
(the "Agreement") provides at, Section 1 thereof, that the "designated City Attorney and
Assistant City Attorney may be established from time to time or modified by resolution of
the City Council."
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes,
California, does hereby resolve as follows:
Section 1. The City Council hereby appoints William W. Wynder, Esq., as City
Attorney for the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, California, and its subordinate and affiliated
entities, effective April 17, 2018, with Mr. Aleshire available to assure an efficient, cost-
effective, and seamless transition and work on and complete special projects.
Section 2. The City Council hereby reaffirms Elena Q. Gerli as Assistant City
Attorney for the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, California.
Section 3. The provision of this Resolution shall become effective April 17, 2018.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 17th day of April 2018.
ayor
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i. 4 Clerk
State of California )
County of Los Angeles ) ss
City of Rancho Palos Verdes )
I, Emily Colborn, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, hereby certify that the
above Resolution No. 2018-21 was duly and regularly passed and adopted by the said City
Council at a regular meeting thereof held on April 17, 201';
iCI rk
01203.0001/464346.2 Resolution No. 2018-21
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