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File #: 21-0917    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Approval Status: Agenda Ready
File created: 7/30/2021 In control: County Counsel
On agenda: 8/3/2021 Final action:
Title: Discussion and Possible Action Including Selection of Outside Counsel to Provide Legal Advice and Representation to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office Regarding Areas in Which County Counsel Has a Conflict of Interest and Designation of Scope of Conflict Work (Sponsor: County Counsel)
Sponsors: County Counsel
Attachments: 1. Aaronson, Dickerson, Cohn & Lanzone. P.C.pdf, 2. Cole Huber, LLP, 3. Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester, LLP, 4. Porter Scott, LLP, 5. 08-01-21 Maddock Correspondence, 6. 08-01-21 Rice Correspondence, 7. 08-01-21 Wooten Correspondence, 8. 08-01-21 Goldner Correspondence, 9. 08-01-21 Klein Correspondence, 10. 08-02-21 Thompson Correspondence, 11. 08-02-21 García Correspondence, 12. 08-02-21 McGourty Correspondence, 13. 08-02-21 Coast Democratic Club Correspondence, 14. 08-02-21 Stark Correspondence, 15. 08-03-21 Magoffin Correspondence, 16. 08-02-21 Coast Democrats Correspondence, 17. 08-03-21 Hartley Correspondence

TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: County Counsel
MEETING DATE: August 3, 2021


DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Christian Curtis
PHONE:
234-6885






ITEM TYPE: Regular Agenda

TIME ALLOCATED FOR ITEM: 30 min.


AGENDA TITLE:
title
Discussion and Possible Action Including Selection of Outside Counsel to Provide Legal Advice and Representation to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office Regarding Areas in Which County Counsel Has a Conflict of Interest and Designation of Scope of Conflict Work
(Sponsor: County Counsel)
End

RECOMMENDED ACTION/MOTION:
recommendation
Select outside counsel to provide legal advice and representation to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office regarding areas in which County Counsel has a conflict of interest. Designate the scope of the conflict in order to define the contract's scope of work.
End

PREVIOUS BOARD/BOARD COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
On 7/20/21, the Board of Supervisors considered a request from Sheriff Matthew Kendall to contract with the Law Offices of Duncan James to provide legal services for the Sheriff's Office.

SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
Sheriff Kendall has asked the Board of Supervisors to provide him with outside counsel to advise him on (1) his ability to spend County funds contrary to the budget restrictions created by the Board of Supervisors and (2) his ability to compel the Board of Supervisors to provide him with information services staff independent of that from the County I.S. Department. On July 20, 2021, the Board of Supervisors indicated that it is willing to provide outside counsel to Sheriff Kendall. However, the Board of Supervisors also indicated that it was unwilling to hire the sole law firm presented by Sheriff Kendall, based on concerns over their prior billing practices and the fact that they are presently adverse to the County of Mendocino in a separate litigation matter.

Because Sheriff Kendall was unwilling to provide any potential alternative law firms, the Board of Supervisors asked County Coun...

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