Title
A Resolution Of The City Commission Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Authorizing The Payment Of Fees To GrayRobinson, P.A. For Legal Services In The Icon Office Building Property Matter In An Amount Not To Exceed $150,000.00 For FY 2017; Amending The FY 2017 Adopted Operating Budget (R-2016-284), As Detailed In The Attached Exhibit 1, Revising Operating Revenues, Authorizing Budgetary Transfers And Adjustments, Reauthorizing And Re-Appropriating Certain Funding; Authorizing The Department Of Financial Services To Establish Accounts As May Be Needed; And Providing An Effective Date.
Body
Staff Recommends: Approval of the attached resolution.
Explanation:
GrayRobinson, P.A. ("the Law Firm") is defending the City against the claims arising out of environmental contamination that allegedly exists on the proposed ICON Office Building property. These claims are now the subject of litigation known as Berman Development Group, LLC, et al. v. City of Hollywood et al.
Section 38.40(C)(2) of the Code of Ordinances exempts from the competitive bid and competitive proposal requirements of the Purchasing Ordinance contracts for professional services. The City Commission previously approved the payment of fees to the Law Firm for FY 2016 for legal services in the ICON matter. In view of the considerable amount of legal services being rendered by the Law Firm, the City Attorney recommends that the Commission approve additional fees, this time for FY 2017, in an amount not to exceed $150,000.00.
The CRA is named as a co-defendant in the above-described litigation and has agreed to share equally in the fees and costs paid to the Law Firm. It is expected that at its next regular meeting, the CRA Board will adopt a similar resolution approving additional fees for FY 2017, for legal services in the ICON matter, in an amount not to exceed $150,000.00.
Recommended for inclusion on the agenda by:
Jeffrey P. Sheffel, City Attorney
Wazir A. Ishmael, Ph.D., City ...
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