Explanation
BACKGROUND: The case of Clifford v. Keckley, et al., Case No. 2:19-cv-119, pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, was filed on January 14, 2019, and, as amended, names five individual Columbus Police Officers and the City of Columbus. Due to a potential conflict of interest, it was necessary for the City Attorney’s office to retain outside counsel to represent the individual officers. The City Attorney’s office entered into a special legal counsel contract with Crabbe, Brown & James LLP on March 18, 2019. It is now necessary to modify that contract in order to continue to provide the statutorily required representation.
FISCAL IMPACT: This contract modification will be funded by the Department of Public Safety. The amount of this contract modification is $50,000.00.
COMPANY: Crabbe, Brown & James LLP, Vendor No.: 004294, FID: 31-0787394
500 S Front St, Ste 1200, Columbus, OH 43215
Title
To authorize the City Attorney to modify an existing contract with Crabbe, Brown & James LLP, for special legal counsel services in the case of Clifford v. Keckley, et al., currently pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio; to authorize the expenditure of $50,000.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($50,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City Attorney has a need for special legal services with regard to the case of Clifford v. Keckley, et al., Case No. 2:19-cv-119, pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio; and
WHEREAS, the City Attorney and Crabbe, Brown & James LLP entered into a contract on March 18, 2019 to provide legal representation for the individual Columbus police officers named as defendants in the above-referenced litigation; and
WHEREAS, this modification will provide for continuation of those necessary services; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City Attorney's Office in that it is necessary to authorize the City Attorney to modify the contract with Crabbe, Brown & James LLP immediately in order to facilitate payment of unpaid legal bills and provide for uninterrupted services in the above-referenced litigation; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the City Attorney is hereby authorized and directed to modify the special legal counsel contract with Crabbe, Brown & James LLP to provide legal representation to the individual Columbus police officers named as defendants in the case of Clifford v. Keckley, et al., Case No. 2:19-cv-119, pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
Section 2. That for the purposes stated in Section 1, the amount of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and is hereby authorized in Fund 1000, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
Section 3. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto which are hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and immediately after its passage and signature by the Mayor, or within 10 days thereafter if the Mayor neither signs nor vetoes the same.