City Expenditures to STRADLING YOCCA CARLSON & RAUTH, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES-LEGAL, California Public Records Act Requests, $84,584.21 (October 2013-February 2014)

ABSTRACT: City Expenditures to STRADLING YOCCA CARLSON & RAUTH, P.C., the law firm hired by City Administrator Jason Stilwell to provide legal advice to the City regarding City Responses to California Public Records Act requests, totaled $84,584 between October 2013 and February 2014. Arguably, that total expenditure of taxpayer monies could have been better spent for other purposes, especially in the context of Monterey attorney Neil Shapiro statement, “We now know that the Stradling “team” had lots of conferences, sent each other “multiple emails” and “strategized,” presumably about how to avoid making public records public.” Selected quotations from City’s secrecy gets worse and worse, COMMENTARY by NEIL SHAPIRO, The Carmel Pine Cone, February 14, 2014, 21A, are presented. City Checks to STRADLING YOCCA CARLSON & RAUTH from City Check Registers are reproduced.

“Most requests can be handled by city staff, and there is always City Attorney Don Freeman — already on a monthly retainer and with lots of Public Records Act experience — for most of the rest.”

“Only an occasional request can properly merit referral to outside lawyers, much less a “team.” Yet at Stilwell’s direction the city apparently ran up more than $23,000 in fees for a single month for what appears to be looking for ways to try thwart your right to view the workings of your own government. Those are your tax dollars supporting that effort. And if anyone sues and vindicates the right to access, you get to pay the lawyers on both sides. If you don’t want your money spent hiding your government’s conduct from you, you need to say so. And loudly.”

Neil Shapiro is a Monterey attorney who has more than 40 years experience with the Public Records Act, including 27 years with the San Francisco Chronicle.

Source: City’s secrecy gets worse and worse
COMMENTARY by NEIL SHAPIRO, The Carmel Pine Cone, February 14, 2014, 21A

Note: City Attorney Don Freeman receives $7,500 per month.

CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA CHECKS TO STRADLING YOCCA CARLSON & RAUTH:
127819 2/5/2014 STRADLING YOCCA CARLSON & RAUTH $30,883.71 01 61051 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES-LEGAL
Vendor Total--->$ 30,883.71

127678 1/9/2014 STRADLING YOCCA CARLSON & RAUTH $23,192.50 01 61051 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES-LEGAL
127678 1/9/2014 STRADLING YOCCA CARLSON & RAUTH $11,889.50 01 61051 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES-LEGAL
Vendor Total ----->$35,082.00

127469 12/6/2013 STRADLING YOCCA CARLSON & RAUTH $12,166.00 01 61051 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES-LEGAL
Vendor Total ----->$12,166.00

127373 11/14/2013 STRADLING YOCCA CARLSON & RAUTH $ 4,185.00 01 61051 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES-LEGAL
Vendor Total --->$4,185.00

127202 10/10/2013 STRADLING YOCCA CARLSON & RAUTH $ 2,267.50 01 61051 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES-LEGAL
Vendor Total---->$2,267.50

TOTAL: $84,584.21

ADDENDUM:
LEGAL

61051 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Adopted Budget FY 2013-14 $275,000

Source: City of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Fiscal Year 2013-2014

Adopted Operating Plan & Budget

June 11, 2013