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Agreement for Special Legal Services Jones & Mayer, Attorneys At Law <br />June 6, 2017 <br />Page 2 <br />In September 2016, an RFP was released inviting law firms to submit proposals to provide legal <br />services related to the receivership program. Because the City has utilized Federal Community <br />Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for the program, the RFP was conducted pursuant to <br />Federal guidelines (2 CFR 200.320(d)). The City's RFP was published for one week in the <br />Orange County Register and copies of the RFP were mailed to law firms in the Orange County <br />area who specialize in code enforcement litigation. <br />Four proposals were received in response to the City's RFP. The proposals were reviewed and <br />evaluated by staff from Code Enforcement, Planning & Building, and the City Attorney's Office. <br />Of the proposals received in response to the RFP, staff is recommending Jones & Mayer as the <br />top proposal. Staff specifically noted the high level of experience and expertise possessed by the <br />firm, the large number of receivership cases handled by the firm on behalf of other municipalities, <br />and the reasonable hourly rate. <br />Jones & Mayer has agreed to a capped fee by which the City will pay for attorneys' fees and <br />costs incurred up to $18,000 for each receivership case filed, with the exclusion of cases <br />involving a property that has a marijuana dispensary located thereon. Once the billed services <br />exceed $18,000, Jones & Mayer will seek payment directly from the appointed receiver. The City <br />Attorney's office and Jones & Mayer will agree on a case-by-case basis to a capped fee amount <br />to be paid directly by the City for receivership cases involving a property that has a marijuana <br />dispensary located thereon. <br />To provide the highest quality representation and legal counsel, staff desires to enter into legal <br />services agreements with the top ranked firm — Jones & Mayer. The proposed term of the <br />agreement would be three years. <br />There are three funding sources that may be used to fund the services proposed. The first <br />funding source to be utilized is the Code Enforcement Receivership Fund, the second fund <br />source to be utilized is Code Enforcement Contractual Services, and the last funds to be <br />considered is Code Enforcement CDBG Contract Services Account. When using the CDBG <br />funds all Federal requirements shall be followed. <br />STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT <br />Approval of this item supports the City's efforts to meet Goal #3 - Economic Development, <br />Objectives #3 (Promote a solution -based customer focus in all efforts to facilitate development <br />and investment in the community); Goal #5 — Community Health, Livability, Engagement & <br />Sustainability, Objective #4 (Support neighborhood vitality and livability), Strategy E (Implement <br />innovative code enforcement practices and strategies including the use of volunteers, enhanced <br />technologies and increased collaboration with other City departments and outside agencies to <br />address critical livability issues citywide [e.g. overcrowding, absentee landlords, landlord/tenant <br />rights and responsibilities, etc.]). <br />25H-2 <br />