DEPARTMENT: Attorney
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
title
Authorization To Execute Agreements To Provide Legal Services To Community Development Agency, Dakota County Drug Task Force, And Metropolitan Library Service Agency
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Authorize the County Attorney to execute agreements to provide legal services to the Community Development Agency, Dakota County Drug Task Force, and Metropolitan Library Service Agency.
SUMMARY
The Dakota County Attorney’s Office is currently providing legal services to the Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA), Dakota County Drug Task Force (DCDTF) and Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA) pursuant to legal services agreements. The agreements have or will expire by December 31, 2022 (Attachments). There is a mutual desire to extend the arrangement with each agency through the end of 2024. The new agreements have substantially the same terms as the current agreements.
Pursuant to the agreements, the County Attorney’s Office will provide services to the CDA, DCDTF (except for the first 60 hours, see below) and MELSA at an hourly rate of $216.00 in 2023 for attorney time and $48.00 for paralegal time; and in 2024, at an hourly rate of $222.00 for attorney time and $49.00 for paralegal time. The Dakota County Finance Department determined that the hourly rate includes direct and indirect administrative costs for a mid-level senior attorney in the County Attorney’s Office.
The Dakota County Attorney’s Office will continue to provide DCDTF 60 hours of legal service (inclusive of both attorney and paralegal time) at no cost to the DCDTF for each year of the contract term and after the first 60 hours have been exhausted, work will be billed at the applicable rate for each year of the contract term.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
The County Manager and the Dakota County Attorney recommend the County Board authorize the Dakota County Attorney to execute the legal services agreements for CDA, DCDTF and MELSA through the end of 2024.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
The number of hours of legal services the County Attorney’s Office will provide to the CDA, DCDTF, and MELSA each calendar year is variable and uncertain depending on the needs of the CDA, DCDTF and MELSA for legal assistance.
☐ None ☒ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, the Dakota County Attorney’s Office is currently providing legal services to the Community Development Agency (CDA), Dakota County Drug Task Force (DCDTF), and Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA) pursuant to legal services agreements; and
WHEREAS, those agreements have or will expire by December 31, 2022; and
WHEREAS, CDA, DCDTF and MELSA staff wish to continue receiving legal advice and services from the County Attorney’s Office, and the County Attorney’s Office is not required to, but is willing to provide legal services as requested on terms agreeable to the County and the requesting entity; and
WHEREAS, the proposed legal services agreements with the CDA, DCDTF, and MELSA will extend through the end of 2024; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the agreements, the County Attorney’s Office will provide services to the CDA, DCDTF (except for the first 60 hours, see below) and MELSA at an hourly rate of $216.00 in 2023 for attorney time and $48.00 for paralegal time; and in 2024, at an hourly rate of $222.00 for attorney time and $49.00 for paralegal time; and
WHEREAS, the Dakota County Finance Department determined that the hourly rate includes direct and indirect administrative costs for a mid-level senior attorney in the County Attorney’s Office; and
WHEREAS, the Dakota County Attorney’s Office will continue to provide DCDTF 60 hours of legal service (inclusive of both attorney and paralegal time) at no cost to the DCDTF for each year of the contract term and after the first 60 hours have been exhausted, work will be billed at the applicable rate for each year of the contract term.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the Dakota County Attorney to execute the agreements, substantially as presented and subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form, with the Dakota Community Development Agency, Metropolitan Library Service Agency and Dakota County Drug Task Force to provide legal services through the end of 2024 with either party having the power to terminate the agreement without cause by providing written notice to the other party.
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
CDA: 15-593; 11/17/15
17-181; 4/4/17
18-641; 12/18/18
21-048; 1/19/21
DCDTF: 20-398; 8/18/20
MELSA: 04-597; 12/21/04
13-122; 3/12/13
17-219; 4/18/17
20-045; 1/21/20
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: CDA Legal Services Agreement
Attachment: DCDTF Legal Services Agreement
Attachment: MELSA Legal Services Agreement
BOARD GOALS
☐ A Great Place to Live ☐ A Healthy Environment
☐ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☒ Excellence in Public Service
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT LEVEL
☐ Inform and Listen ☐ Discuss ☐ Involve ☐ N/A
CONTACT
Department Head: Tom Donely
Author: Tom Donely