08-14-2024 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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STAFF REPORT TO: Mayor Fischer and Members of City Council FROM: Chris Heineman, City Administrator Laura Linehan, Community Relations Manager DATE: August 14, 2024 RE: Civil Legal Services Agreement between the City of Little Canada and LeVander, Gillen & Miller, P.A. ACTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED: Staff is requesting the City Council's consideration in approving a Civil Legal Services Agreement between the City of Little Canada and LeVander, Gillen & Miller, P.A. BACKGROUND: Request for Proposal Process In 2008, Kelly & Lemmons, the city’s current legal services provider, was engaged for both civil and prosecutorial services. As the initial agreement expired in 2014, a renewal for services was approved, with services remaining intact since 2014. With a single firm retaining both civil and prosecutorial services since 2008, the City Council approved issuing a request for proposals for civil legal services only on June 12, 2024 while retaining Kelly & Lemmons for prosecutorial services. On June 14, staff issued an RFP through direct solicitation to twelve legal firms, published on the city website, and published in the legal notices in the Pioneer Press. Proposals were due on July 8, with a total of eight firms submitting proposals for consideration. At the July 10 City Council Workshop, Council selected Councilmembers Amanda Gutierrez, Teresa Miller, and City Administrator Chris Heineman to serve on a subcommittee to interview the proposals for City Attorney. Staff additionally provided information based on the initial review of the proposals received. Interviews were held by the subcommittee and responding firms on July 16 and July 17, with all eight firms interviewed by the subcommittee. Following the subcommittee interviews, two firms were invited to participate in a final interview with the entire City Council on July 24. After these interviews were conducted, the City Council discussed the strengths of both firms and directed staff to move forward with reviewing and negotiating an agreement with LeVander, Gillen & Miller, P.A. for civil legal services. LeVander, Gillen & Miller, P.A. Background LeVander, Gillen & Miller, P.A. (“LeVander”) is a ten-attorney law firm located in Eagan with substantial knowledge, skill, and experience in the areas of municipal law, real estate, civil litigation, and eminent domain. LeVander includes six shareholders and four associate attorneys. The firm’s non-attorney staff includes multiple paralegals, a Director of Personnel, a Director of Financial Operations, and administrative assistants.