HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-08-17 ad Hoc Town Counsel Review Committee MinutesLegal Services Review Committee Meeting
August 17, 2000 i'~ S $ °
2001 AG 30 P 2- S0
The meeting convened in the Arnold Berger Room, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, Massachusetts at
8:00 p.m. Present were Camille Anthony, Jonathan Barnes, Tim Twomey, Steven Cool, Mark
Giles, Phil Pacino, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner, resident Kendra Cooper.
On motion by Twomey seconded by Barnes, the minutes of July 19, 2000 were,approved as
amended by a vote of 4-0-0 (Gillis and Pacino were not yet present).
The seven page memo on the review of legal services was reviewed by the committee.. This had
previously been emailed to all members and comments were made on the previous draft.
Camille Anthony noted that there is not much savings in the hybrid model compared to the
outside counsel. Tim Twomey noted that the hybrid model should be looked at as a transition,
would provide more hours and therefore, get more of the work done, and needed to be evaluated
based on qualitative criteria.
The Town Manager noted that there is an outside non-exclusive counsel who may be interested
in the position in Reading. The consensus of the committee was that if one went to the hybrid
model, or the non-exclusive outside counsel model, the direction would basically be the same.
Tim Twomey noted that it is not just a funding issue. Quality is very important. A reasonable
transition from the current model to any of the in-house models must be carefully managed.
There was discussion as to whether or not the committee should make recommendations. The
sense of the committee was that they should present the material to the Board of Selectmen and
let the Board of Selectmen give the committee direction as to how to proceed. Once that
direction is given, then the committee can meet to discuss how to accomplish that. Camille
Anthony noted that there are two concerns if we move from the outside model to a hybrid or in-
house model: the depth of coverage that we would have both in quantity and quality (it was
noted in the hybrid model that this should not be a real problem); and how to get rid of
somebody if we hire them as an employee and don't like them (this can be done with an annual
contract and the contract would just not be renewed). Mark Gillis noted that if we went to the
hybrid model we would need to determine what the end point is - i.e. are we trying to secure
inside non-exclusive counsel or inside exclusive counsel. It was suggested that the person hired
would help determine the final direction.
Camille Anthony asked that copies of the survey of departments and boards, committees and
commissions be sent to the Board of Selectmen for their meeting on Tuesday night and also to
Legal Services Review Committee.
The Committee reviewed the cost chart and suggested several changes in the assumptions - the
Town Manager will make those.
Camille Anthony will review the "big picture" and the Town Manager will review the charts.
Big picture issues are balancing the communities needs, the transition, the cost, quality of legal
services, quantity of legal services, risks, and the long-term direction.
The Committee will meet on September 13, 2000. Depending on direction from the Board of
Selectmen, the Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. and begin interviews of the five outside counsel
proposals that they received, or we will meet at 8:00 p.m. and review job description, budget,
transition plan, etc. The Town Manager will email to the committee members a summary of the
Board of Selectmen's discussion so that they know what to prepare for on the 13tH
On motion by Gillis seconded by Cool, the Legal Services Review Committee adjourned at 9:05
p.m. on a vote of 6-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
S cretary
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