HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 6.E 06/21/2004q V�I
1 0
CITY OF PETALUNIA, CALIFORNIA
111AGENDA. BILL
'A' enda Title: Discussion andi Pbs�sible of W1
aiver Reque st Meeting n ate: June 21, 2004
iiOni Meyers Nave Ribac Silver - '& Wil'gon" ; ."Regarding 'Legal
Review of Proposed. Amendments to the Sonoma County Waste
Management Agency Joint Powers Agreement. Meeting Time: Z 3:00 PM
F 7:00 PM
Category (check one): Consent Calendar ring New Business
❑ Unfinished Business ❑ Presentation
Departmen
Director:
Contact Person:
Phone, Number:
City Manager
Michael Bierman
Michael � I B I iermah
- 43 -
718 345
Cost of Proposal: n/a
Account Number:
Amount Budgeted:
Naine',of Fund:
Attachments to Agenda Packet Item:
1. Letter from Meyers Nave Riback Silver & Wilson
2. Draft Resolution
'Summary Statement: The law, f rm of Meyers Nave Riback "'Silver & WRso
i n represents four local
governments in Sonoma ".County: Cloverdale, Healdsburg, Petalum a and Windsor. All four of these
entities are members of the :Son6rria, Count y Waste Management. Jo 14 Pbwerls'Alithority.
Amendments are proposed to the Joint Powers Agreement governing the Was te Ma nagement - iagement Agency. As
there is a possibility that future actions of One of the member dgen'cies, the City of Petaluma, may be
adverse to the roposed amendments currently beiiig,�co'nsidered b
p y. the ,, inember agencies, our law firm is
advising its client cities that they maYihavea potential conflict of interest in representing all four of their
Sonoma County client cities.
Attached is a copy of a letter senf jointly b y three City Attorneys i�hoxe'
i Y - present the cities of Cloverdale,
Healdsburg, Petaluma and the Town of 'Windsor regarding ihis�; potential conflict nflict of interest. The Ci ty ity of
Petaluma and the, Town of Windsor are l represent the. same'in.dividual, Mr. Richard Rudnansky. The
letter provides a recn�imend ed strategy whereby three of the member agencies ( - Cloverdale, Healdsburg,
and Windsor) could tin.46 to'be-represented by the firm of Me " Mey Nave kiba6k Silver- & Wilson. The
"I. , I ye I
, �
City of Petalw has,beeh,,'advfs`ed' " " l"h1ternate legal representation.
Pto
Recommended City C 6 n"cil, Ac bonisugges ed Motion:
By motion, direct the C ity Manager to sign the attached letter agre
y eing to the representation waiver.
R'e'v wed by Finance! Direct6rc,
Reviewed by Cit Attorney:
Date:
Approl"City M ana ger:
Date:
D ate:
P
J��Ij
To "d Date: ik,:
Revision* and Date Revised:
Vife`C-6de:
k
t. r s n e.. Tib I Asa.
April 30, 2004
Michael. Bierman,, Coftnaodr
City of PeWuma.
11 English Street
Petaluma; CA 94952-2610
Paul BertantJowManager
Town ofrWindsor
P. O. Box 100
Windsor, CA 95492-6100
Jennifer Murray,, City Manager,
City of Cloverdale,
. P.O. Box 217
Cloverdale, CA 95425
Chet rWys - tepek, City Manager
City of Healdsburg
401 Grove Street
Healdsburg, CA 95404
Richard P- Ruduansky
Attamey at Law
TOT.546.6009
Pit ED U
MAY 03 Zgo§
TOWN"OF WNDSOR
Re: Disclosumbf Potka'i nfl Request for . 'Waiv6r
Dear City ManageFs:
We are W�fing ititeivttregardin Ahis firm!s possible tofes�ntoon of
various clients itb the Sonoma County Waste MahagementAssociation
(
The following members ofrour Tfirm r0preseot the JbIlowing entities, e�lj- I 0w I
h f ha-isamernberof4he
SCWMA: Rich kudnans ky serves as both the City Attorney (br''Petaluma �andithe
Ti own Abrh4 for
'Windsor, Mike, --Hialdibuf!�aad.Eiic - o 1. h! §orves. as the
T ity , Attorney � far the City 6f a_Y
City Attorney for t►e City' ofCloverfte i - 6 "
ulrfiftdoesnbtre " e
pres- 4the'tG itself.
Asyou3khQw,,Potaluma',�h'a"s��is'sU'e'd'R'Fpt�'fprailgarba�;'ei�fran6t��- ..0
ncludinq�4sequ6tt, as. an ajterfialve
aspect of tho�,proposalt,.4 ' b�zo'i wiis outsidb Sonoma-C&UntyL This�,RFP;prbcess has raised.
concerns by other - m l ernbersk o('SCWMAjficWdin§ the other clients of'Outft s et - - fodh Above, who,desire
40I Mendocino Avenue, Sufte Igg [ Saida Rosa, califamia quot 1 tel 707 545 1 fast 707-545-6667 I WWWAR8Yer=8VV.ChoM
OAKLAND • SAN LEANrffflo ' SAvTAIQSA - SACRAMENTO - SAN FRANUSZO - LOS ANGELES
Michael Bierman, City - of Petaluma
Paul Berlant, Town of Windsor
Jenniferr iv9urray City of Cloverdale
Che4.Wystepek , City of'Healdsbbrg,.
Re" D.'ii sc!osure�o Pbtentialtonft of inerest and R guest for Waiver
April:30,:2004
page 2.
4hpt4! SG1 lMA members use'the Sonoma Coup ty'lan.d 11, SCWMA_members have circulated a
agreemeht,.ID establish a new JPA with such arequiterneint
To, date, neither rich FRudnansky Mike: Gogna, nor Eric:Danly have been re quested to advise their
pespOct tre cl Pehts , conce rning,P etalur�a's RFP- ,, process regarding "the altemative °bautmg �sas aiit of
Sonoma County oaths possPbility of creating a new JPA However it isif oreseeabie thatiohe or more of wr
client ,lwho are memibers of:SCWMA may intf a future request:such advice. Should that occur,,A
raise =potential conflicts;for, ou` firm. The purpose of.'this l6tt60s to = fain sucKpotential contfrcts, to,
propose a potential solufion for avoidingI. ercelved:.contiicts, antl to deterrnintwhethereach of you i� tt
vsafue any po$enW conflict interest lip ordeN6 permif:us to advise our
respective 6lient intonneckh
vin sueWissueveoncerning SCWIVIA.
To the extent{Petaluma,and oucother client membervof "SC-WfuA may "take conflicting pop t s.,grid have;
different�o"bfectivesiin regard the SCWNfA, it,rauses a po+,ential�sonflicl ofinterestttiatwould,preclut our
fmrnr`s: representation al those clients"vdithout�alk of -their informed wriffien consent, For, ekampPe;.conflPc#ing
posrbibns andlor different objectives may exist:conce.ming:
(1): Whai$theieffe.ct andimpacts wauld'be, if any on the SCWMA- and:its members;should Pe alk
decideto select the out of County waste hauling alternative:
(2) IAlhat the <ePfiect is or,woufd be,. if any, on,the_membe'rs_.of the. WMA with respe�,t`ta 4tie
agreement rccently circ+ulated�and approved memberszofilia SCWMA,mti 6rthaifPetafdma.
Our proposal to- address Ns situation is as4difows. Because l ioh Rudnansity repre nts both Petaturrma
died Windsor, we kiePieve..it vuauPd be appropri afe That he:retraik. m advising either e.h&y niregi , to,-'rese
issued Aceordingly, he has recommended that PetaPuma obtain mridependent counsel on the issue:
Neither Mi-: ftudnar�sky nor any atfier atfarney 6mi there tore,have or wpll;be advising or'consu( rag
gilt► petwuma?in connection iiub'these'SCWMA issues. Mr. Rudnansky will„ however, remain City
Adomey:fur'P ?etaiuma, .but WilLnot:be involved in any�osped of these issues cohGfting SC -WMA.
Based on -Mr. Rudhansky's dual..,role as City: Attorney for Petaluma; and`'TownAttorney for Windsor, vat alto
propase,that Kent Alm of:ctir tiem provide requested, advice to 'the own ®f W,ndsor' n Connection with
SCwMA 'Mr; Alm and-'Mr. Rudnansky have not;d,i used 'the °relative.pasifions of Petaluma- and'Undsor
coricernino- SCWMIA .W6: al$o�propose °that Mike Goona be permitte(t-to advise Healdsburg and fhatEric
Danly be:permitted to advise the Cloverdale.shouidthose entities request advice=tonceming }SCWfNA.
To pro d aoainst the�inadvertent1disclosure of confidential informati on provided to Mc.;Rudnanslcy through`
his representatron of Petaluma and Windsor, our firm would:afso estaol'esh wttat`is knorun as an: "ethical
wall, °'vdhlcfi would put procedures Pn place to precludefuture communications between Mr: Rudnansky,
and Messrs Danl Gogna:and Atm and any. other attorn eys in outfirinmW may, be called to adv ise
i
Michael Bierm - 'an, City, of Petaluma
Paufteriant, Town o(Windtor
J Chk W"'ystepek, V H
4 6aldsburg
Re: Discl
6
AP61 , 2604
Page 3
Windspr,Hjeiald$burg andjor CloVefdafe concerning any as f SCVVMA. ft Rudnansky would &D;be
precluded from .'havinoai c theI ie - S'fi S:and- records coridernihg any - advice that might be provided-
to Windsor, Healdsburq and/'br Cloverdale. Our afforneys ; advising hose clients'would'tlkewise have no
tzss:ta our fiI6s:(r0m-OrpPpjj�Sefttgd -�f.P6 t
across U n lurha, HoWever, Danly, a
and ,.Gogna a AIM, and
n yPon , tD�,advise�Wind�6�,��Heildtburg.and/or Cloverid6le
concerhinqany 440ect i6�46r ` cOOO*&;ond'erninq such W brig as,
represen on so
conificting positions andior ,different b among Healdsburg. and/or
cloverdale: can d�tninq
UK IM6 believe r eve these measures will ade0at th
all Oected clients. t 6 confidenfiality of
Releva6trules of the'Galff6rhia'R 0'
, . f provide?as.follo*s:
R010 Anerqbef.of the State Barl thallnot.accept!or. continue representation ofa
efient wkhout providi',ri'g'wn'ft"6n,disclo'surc- to the client where:
(1), The "Mber has Ie ',libusiness:_ qw
. OrAssional,or�Oe
finan rs6nal relationshlip
party rwitrtess rn the , S
with
same matter, or
Tb I
-
e. S Or OW m-asolUM know- that"
Uld
(a) the, Member preop had prof ess i ona l,
o
pers n dohs W
P _a[ Te a' hip 'With a, party or Witneisstih theFsame matter; and
(b) the :pre _ mblis r6lationshipwo 4d:su
u bstantHally: affect thelm6mber's
representation; of
(3) The rne"M,ber�hk�qr l I a;11901, business;
,fiha.nci'a mpersonal
relatibrithip nether erso ,�uen%;the rnern �or.
kndwwouldW,aict sjdb
Wall y: b
yresoUUonbfft,mafte
(4) The member has business, financial orprofessidn
*eccma'- al intere i th
s -
I fter
Rule 3-310(C)T,Ameat ber shall not Without the informed wr C., .66mconteni,ofea
(1)
PP
Adc t re AeSqn on ofnibre fhan one, client in a which the interests of the
clients Oof6n6l� cd ict; o I r,
(2) Accept 6rton
finu ti -
n of more than
M o One C a Matter it whkhIhe
interests of the c(i6nii actually conflict or
Mchael Bierman, City of Petaluma.
Paul 6erlant, Town► of Windsor
Jennifer Murray, I✓ity of CloverdaL-
Chet Wystepek; City oMealdsbiurg
Re: Disclosure of Potential Conflict of Interest and,'Request for Waiver
April 30,.2004
'Page 4,
(3) Represent .a_client;m. +a'matter and at ,the samektirne in a separate mattes accept as a
client a petwn or entity urhase interest in the first rriaEter is adverse to tho'client�in the
ferstmafier
Rute 3- 31.0(E): A, :member;shall. not, w thoutthe.N nforrned ritten consent'of ttie; ciier►{ o . #ormer
client, accept.employment advers tathe client or former clie►rt where by reason off die
representation of the client or foerner client; the rnember has obtained 'canfidenlial i6fomatiorti',..
rnateriaL'to the,emAldyrrrent
lNrth.regard to Rule 3390 (0); neither we nor; to the best our actual knowledge, any, member of our firm�has
or had ( any legal business, €inanew,, professional, or ersonal'refabonship ,wifh an. ny?paiy, wfirless;
person or entity (ii)' any interest in the subjecttmatter.of our representation of ?fihe.clients-set forth:above,
disclosure of�,which isFrequired_by Rule 3 - 310(B),'except fot�our past and current representatlon�a f
various public entities described above;
With regard<Oo Rude 3- 3,1U(C) we do not believe,our possible, advice to Mridsor, H aldsbucg, ani /or
Cloverdale on $CVWMA issues would• result in our representing ad4esse clients,in.the;sari% matte; since
vae eviB n ®t be represeMng P talurria in thy# regard �ihd we are unaware of,any�actua or pofenfial cohAip4
among thg5relat, _ positions of Windsor, Healdsburg, or Cloverdale at ihis firm. However, *,may result in''
our..adrrising Windsor! an&orCloverdale,on the SOW MA described above St ' th e same
bff►e as , we - are representing Petalura in Separate nutters. T:herefore,' -6 we( bave a , p rofesgional
duty ofundrvided tu;each current client, Riven our cur ent wi nd past regresentallon of Ine Petaluma.
we need`the informed ** corisent'of Petaluma, , Windsor: Heaidsburg, and Cloverdale I*fot6 we can
advise any of the entities in regard to the SC -WMA.
l igt reference to.FTaile = 3t0(E)we do not believe thatwe 6iave obtained any- c®nfiden6W:inforrnafis9nUrn.
Petaluma that'would'be matenal4o the current'srtuation in which maybe asked to:advlse: Windsor, .
Nealdsbucg,randl Cioverdale:.Hoeuev . t, the City`of Petalurr4rnay: believe°we have or'may receive such
material,canfidenUal inrmatiot_ due to the nature of `our past and cu rrent;eepresentaton of Petaluma:
Consequently, before advising any other clientsin;tliis matter, we requestPetatuma's infod
Witten consent to. sucKrepresentadD.M:
In connottion potentfal= representation of Windsor, Healdsburg; and/or Cloverdale in this mattea;:
and:to assist you in determining whether or not consent.to such °:representation, weot�erebv.inform;yov
that
(a) We ant!" P40 the following actual or reasonably foreseeable adverse effects upon V liridsoc,
HOldsburg, or`Cloverdale by reason ofour past and currentvepresentatioh,of Petaluma: None
since that prior andjcurrent;representabon�af Petaluma:does;riot and`wiil-not;� oncern issues
presently arising.regarding scWmA.
•
9.
_0
Michael Bi6rrnjit,
C ity of;Petaluma
'Paul Bedant Town of'Witidsor:
Jenriffer.Aurray,. City-. ofooverda'le.
Chet Wy4tpp*,, Q, ity V, H6aldsburg
Re. Disclosure lofP6 Conjlictof InterestandR,6 yest f6r Waiver
Apd130,-2004
Page 5
(b) . We anticipate,theJollowitig actual Or reasqpably adverse effects upon Petaluma by
reason of pdtOnfial representation -of Windsor; HOldsburvandlor Cloverdale: Our firrn;may be
requestedlo advise and advocate on b eh "
aff of those entities pos&ns that are inconsistent W
Petaluma's position concerning SCWMA. .
We request PeWuma, Wihdsorj an - d - Vove each con this written request
carefully; You moy wash to confer independent indedtnt It al,counsel . reg , 4 and should feel
., . I 1 1. 0 ar di I this �conse
free -to. do- so, if after review and rdonsjd6raiio �ofth I
n 6 for
*ing. p6taluffiaxonsents, to our potential
representation of Windsor, Healdifiurg, and/or Cloverdale in regard-tothe. SCWM,A pl eaie,sign the
enclosed copy of fins 'letter : 6 kituen itis
and It Met review and,consideraUbn of the
foregoing, Windsor, Healdshwg, and Cloverdale des1re this firm 10-re
-prese6t.them regarding SGWMA and
consent to the represenW described please�siqn the enclose6co Y ofthis letter and return it as
well.
Please do not hesitate Cali u's'Jf;you have any,guestions' or co "
ncdrns abo6t,the foregoing.
Sincerely,
,SILVER & WILSON
Rudnansky
I
E gn Mike Go
Eric Dan
ly
Michael Biuman, City of Petal-urna
Paul,Bedant, Town of Windsor
JenrifferUway, City of Cloverdale
Che -ftstepOk thy ofHealfturg,
Re: Disclosure of Potential of'Interest'and Request for Waiver
ApriL30,2004'
P8.9 6
The C it y Qw 'eards*g, a . t I N6 Q-j f - C e w . v
ofPet�luma,theT n�of'ffindsor, ty p lov er &.�ach aje
any 'a 1 0rpdtpnU cohflitts of interest as,desciibeid Wive and consent to, 4
rppreseniation TqWh ofWindtbr, ihe'City o0iealfturg, andtheZity [Ckv '�undet,66 1)06
S '0
terms.
CITY OF PETALUMA
Datet - -------- -
Vike Biertnan, City Manager
TOWN OF WINDSOR
Dated: By.
Paul Berlant Town Manager
CITY OF CLOVERDAI E
Dated: B
jenpw r'Murray, Town tanager
CITY OF HEALUSBURG
Date&
By
ChO *stepek, Ci ty . Manager
V
E
R
W
#GV
cc: Kent Alm,Esq.
DRAFT
RESOLUTION DIRECTING CITY MANAGER TO SIGN WAIVER REQUEST FROM
MEYERS NAVE RIBACK.SILVER & WILSON REGARDING. LEGAL REVIEW OF
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE SONOMA COUNTY WASTE MANAGEMENT
AGENCY JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT
WHEREAS, the law firm of Meyers Nave Riback Silver & Wilson represents four local
governments in Sonoma County: Cloverdale, Healdsburg, Petaluma and Windsor. All four of
these entities are members of-the Sonoma County Waste Management Joint Powers Authority;
and
WHEREAS, amendments are proposed to the Joint Powers Agreement governing the
Waste Management Agency; and
- 6
WHEREAS, there ;is a possibility that future actions of one of the member agencies, the
City of Petaluma, may be adverse: to the proposed amendments currently being considered by the
member agencies; and
WHEREAS, Meyers Nave Riback Silver & Wilson has.advi'sed its client cities that they
may have a potential conflict of'interest in representing all four of their- Sonoma County client
cities.
NOW, THEREFORE,.BE IT RESOLVED that the Petaluma City Council hereby directs
the City Manager to sign;the waiver request regarding the legal review of proposed amendments
to the Sonoma. County Waste Management Agency Joint Powers Agreement.