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Questions on New Law Firm

3/6/17 Caucus

PERTH AMBOY – R-127-3/17 – Authorizing a professional services contract with Cruser Mitchell Novitz Sanchez Gaston & Zimet, LLP to provide legal services for labor and employment, real estate, ABC matters and additional litigation for the period commencing March 8, 2017 to December 31, 2017 in an amount not to exceed $75,000.

Business Administrator Adam Cruz said, “We are spending $50,000 a month now.”

Council President Bill Petrick said, “DeCotiis will now get $50,000.”

Councilman Irizarry said, “I am okay with Resolution R-126 (Authorizing $50,000 for DeCotiis)”

Councilman Fernando Gonzalez said, “We may be putting the cart before the horse. I’m hoping the attorney that we hire will become full time. Let’s just do this for 2-3 months so a new attorney can sit and review what’s going on now. We have not approved a budget, yet. This whole process is based on past issues. Limit the amount of money to 2-3 months and see how they want to restructure the Law Department.”

Business Administrator Cruz said, “The Director of Law and the law firm has nothing to do with one another. We are into our sixth day of March and we don’t have a Law Director. As in the past, you have the opportunity to interview the candidate the Mayor has chosen.”
Councilman Gonzalez responded stating, “I want the lawyer to look out for the citizens first and help our Mayor.”

Cruz told Gonzalez, “I’m 100% with you, because I’m the one who has to balance the budget.”

DeCotiis Attorney Judy Verrone firmly stated, “You will not find one lawyer who can specialize in every aspect of the law. The volume of work you have in Perth Amboy cannot be handled by one full time attorney. It doesn’t work that way. The City has done a request for qualifications for lawyers. Your legal budget has gone down significantly since DeCotiis has been here. I am part time, but I’m available at all times through e-mails and my cell phone.”

Councilman Jelmin Caba thought that the original amount of $75,000 is sufficient.

Councilman Joel Pabon said, “I think the attorney here had a say in all of the other attorneys hired. I understand we do need attorneys.”

Councilman Gonzalez continued his argument, “We approved an attorney list and we can hire attorneys off of that list. We don’t hire a whole law firm. We will hire a full time attorney to advise use and help us save money. Everything is intertwined. I don’t want to be an adversary. I just want an attorney to look out for the City.”

Councilman Irizarry stated, “The DeCotiis law firm will finish any cases that they were handed up until March 1, 2017.”

Verrone answered, “Everything right now is put on hold.

Resident Stanley Sierakowski asked, “Who (an attorney) will be hired as full time?”

Council President Bill Petrick answered, “The Administration will be hiring an attorney and DeCotiis will not be taking on any new cases.”

Sierakowski then asked, “Who made a decision to put this (R-127) on the agenda? This firm has no municipal experience and their main headquarters is in Georgia. They handle corporate cases.”

Attorney Verrone corrected Sierakowski and stated, “This firm (R-127) are one of two that knows litigation and they have done work for Perth Amboy before.”

On Resolutions R-126 & R-127 Councilman Fernando Gonzalez abstained on both.

Consent Agenda Resolutions R-97-3/17 – R-119-3/17 and R-121-3/17 – R-125-3/17 were moved by Councilman Fernando Gonzalez and seconded by Councilman Fernando Irizarry.

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