181-13 WO Attorney Contracts.pdf

181-13 September 17, 2013 RESOLUTION WHEREAS, the Township of West Orange is a municipal corporation of the State of New Jersey, duly established and operating as a Faulkner Act Mayor-Council form of government providing a wide range of municipal services for a diverse population of approximately 45,000 residents living within its more than 12 square miles ; and WHEREAS, the governance of such a population, its businesses, land and infrastructure, gives rise to a wide variety and large volume of legal issues which must be promptly addressed and resolved to assure the effective and efficient operation of the administration of local government; and WHEREAS, the Township’s Administrative Code provides for a Law Department headed by the Township Attorney and employing an Assistant Township Attorney and from time to time such Special Counsel, technical and expert assistance as are reasonable and necessary to provide competent, effective and efficient legal services for the Township; and WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council wish to ensure that the operation of the Law Department and employment of those providing legal services for the municipal corporation are consistent with current legal requirements and best practices, including those for formal retention agreements with provisions setting forth the scope of work to be performed and billing requirements promoting reduction of legal costs, transparency and accountability, all as recommended by the Office of the New Jersey State Comptroller; and WHEREAS, forms of agreement between the Township of West Orange and the Township Attorney and the Assistant Township Attorney have been drafted to be consistent with the foregoing concerns and goals and are annexed hereto for review and approval by the Township Council for authorization for execution by the respective parties; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT, AND HEREBY IT IS, RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WEST ORANGE, that the Mayor be and hereby is authorized to execute the Agreements, or agreements in a substantially similar form to those attached, for the retention of the Township Attorney and the Assistant Township Attorney, and the Municipal Clerk is authorized to attest to the Mayor’s signature and to cause notice of these actions to be advertised in accordance with any applicable law. __________________________________ Susan McCartney, Council

s authorized to attest to the Mayor’s signature and to cause notice of these actions to be advertised in accordance with any applicable law. __________________________________ Susan McCartney, Council President __________________________________ Karen J. Carnevale, Municipal Clerk Adopted: September 17, 2013