Avenal State Prison

Municipal Experience: On a daily basis, the City deals with laws, regulations, and legal issues not limited to cities. Some legal matters involve specific government issues but many do not. ADMINISTRATION 559-585·2515 9 PERSONNEL 559-585·2520 ~ FACSIMILE: 559·585·2595 April 3, 2013 Page2 As to laws, regulations, and issues involving government-related matters, Griswold LaSalle worked for decades for public agencies before being retained by the City---far more than the seven (7) years requested by the RFP. The governmental bodies included clients such as: the State of California, Kings County Water District, Kings County Housing Authority, Lake Don Pedro Community Services District, Riverdale Public Utilities District, Laton Community Services District, Kettleman City Community Services District, Hanford Elementary School District, Central Union School District, etc. Griswold LaSalle also represented numerous private sector clients that regularly dealt with cities and other government agencies, through which Griswold LaSalle addressed "municipal" and other government issues, including laws and regulations, which caused the law firm to have expertise in such areas. Before retention by the City, Griswold LaSalle had many years of experience with "municipal issues," including the Brown Act, Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, Public Records Act, Conflicts of Interest, Robert's Rules, Government claims regarding torts, personnel and negotiations, real estate transactions, construction law, public bidding and contracts, prevailing wage, drafting and interpretation of ordinances, zoning and land use, redevelopment, Subdivision Map Act, municipal general and precise plans, CEQA, NEPA and environmental laws and regulations, landlord-tenant and unlawful detainer actions, Proposition 218 and property related fees, risk management and insurance, constitutional issues such as free speech and due process, and municipal bonds. All of those areas are important to the City and are just a small sampling of areas in which Griswold LaSalle possessed more than seven (7) years of experience at the time of its hiring. Griswold LaSalle has been able to draw upon its extensive expertise in numerous areas oflaw, including "municipal law" to assist the City. Through its RFP, the City sought a law firm with more than seven (7) years of experience in legal matters in which the City normally engages, and Griswold LaSalle was a law firm that greatly exceeded such threshold requirement. Additionally, Griswold LaSalle worked as the "acting City Attorney" for the City for almost one (1) year before going through the RFP process and being retained as the City Attorney. In essence, the Council had almost one (1) year to "drive the car before purchasing." Only Local Firm: Griswold LaSalle was the only law firm from Hanford that responded to the RFP. Fortunately for Hanford, the Council retained Griswold LaSalle. Our City Attorney's office has thirty one (31) full time and ten (10) part time employees. Much of the money paid Griswold LaSalle by the City remains in the City. Additionally, we have found the lawyer team of Griswold LaSalle always available to meet on the shortest of notice ---- a luxury one would not have with a law finn located outside of Hanford. Griswold LaSalle was not hired because they were a local firm - they were hired because the Council believed them to be the best lawyers for the job, and they just happened to be local, which is a plus. April 3, 2013

Most Expensive: We understand that all applicants generally had an "open ended" proposal----a fee for basic services and an hourly rate for non-routine work. Such proposals are common because one cannot predict what legal needs will arise. Also, it is critical to note that Griswold LaSalle, like any other attorney who could have been retained, only performs the work his/her client requests to be performed. Spending More on Legal Services: We do not know what jurisdictions the Grand Jury used in the "South Valley" for its comparisons, but our review shows the City is in line with comparable jurisdictions. We have reviewed the 2010/11 financial reports for Visalia, Tulare and the County of Kings regarding the amount paid for their lawyers, and note in those reports: Visalia at $1,160,018.00; Tulare at $778,480.00; and the County of Kings at $1,062,661 (see Exhibits "B," "C," and "D," respectively). Therefore, we find the legal expenses for the City to be in line with "South Valley" comparisons. We hope the foregoing is of assistance in better understanding the referenced Grand Jury Report. Sincerely, HANFORD CITY COUNCIL I --1\ . <: /IZ<~- By: LOU MARTINEZ,'Mayor and' ~pu:qcilmember -... _, .-)- .··. / ' ... ' ; . _/,,, I . . . . ' ~;,..-, ( --· I ' . ~-.,,,, By . . ____ / .L.t:l· L,··1- 1 , .<:---;., .. • ,( ., -./ _____ __ _ GARY PA.NtfJffT, 1Vice-Mayor and Councilmember By: '') I·' ..__ \. --.) .. \ /' i ........... ,,.,.J: RUSS CURRY, Cou:n'dlmember ., /) </' {. .. , . c _~-c _ · :·: ___ __ _______ _ By: JIM IRWIN, Councilmember I --~ ,_)----·~.,... ;., <-.. ,_\ __ .- . ,.-_ ., ,. -- ------·- B '·._ c:;-:..f ,_. J L ,• .??'. ',1'/-'V I { • c_ .~ ~-- ) y: -·---·~ivt.,...l_)..,..,.., J - ·I ,. ,... ( _ _ ... .... ·- ··-·· JOLEEN JAMESON, Councilmember I/ v