The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Commission to consider assistants
Some volunteer, others hope to collect money
A Lorain city councilwoman, a former law director, a local government expert who worked with Lorain almost 20 years ago and a candidate for the Lorain Charter Commission all have offered assistance to the city charter board.
The Lorain Charter Commission will meet Feb. 2 to consider qualifications sent in by potential hired helpers to draft new rules of city government.
The proposals were due Jan. 29 and the 14 commissioners were to score them, with responses due by 4 p.m., Feb. 1, said Terri Soto, chairwoman of Lorain Charter Commission.
Soto said she hopes the commission may decide on the consultants Feb. 2, so they can begin joining the deliberations Feb. 9.
The commissioners will use a scoring scale from 1 to 100, with up to 25 points in four categories:
• Understanding of the requirement.
• Experience in providing similar services to the city of Lorain or any other governmental entity and success in performing this service.
• Samples and references.
• Key personnel professional background, certifications and experience in providing the requested services.
Not knowing what to expect for responses, Soto said it appeared the law firms have experience and knowledge working with local governments, including villages and municipalities.
She said she was pleased with what the local government consultants have to offer, but their resources may be limited.
In other research, Soto said she continues to read charters for other cities.
“What we have to remember is, what’s going to fit our needs and reflect our values?” she asked.
“This is now an opportunity to shape our city government,” Soto said. “And it doesn’t mean that it has to be drastic change.”
The meeting is scheduled at 6 p.m. at Lorain City Hall, 200 W. Erie Ave.
The meeting is not open to the public, because seating is limited due to social distancing requirements to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Administrative assistant
Lorain Councilwomanat-Large Mary Springowski offered to serve as administrative assistant, at no cost.
“I have an extensive background in secretarial/ administrative assistant duties and am proficient in Robert’s Rules of Order as well as parliamentary procedure,” Springowski wrote. “I have excellent computer skills in terms of office procedure.
“I offer these services at no cost to the commission so as to help expedite the process and to try to constrain costs as the commission works to carry out the will of the people.”
Stenographer
There were two proposals for the stenographer or recording service needed to prepare written records of the meetings.
Colleen Fox, operator of Fox Reporting of Rocky River, said she has more than 33 years’ experience recording court proceedings, depositions and hearings.
Her rate is $65 an hour and $4 per transcript page.
Infojini of Columbia, Md., has 14 years’ experience across 30 states, with an Ohio office in Columbus.
It appeared the company offered to help recruit a stenographer.
Consultants
Larry Keller, a Cleveland State University associate professor emeritus who consulted with city governments on charters, ventured to Lorain to help the commission rewrite the rules of city government.
Keller offered to present a video lecture on the nature, history and law of Ohio charters and municipalities.
He also would lead two online sessions, starting with procedure and substance of the charter.
Keller also would analyze the current statutory provisions, highlight issues the commission could address and suggest alternatives for those.
His proposed cost is $3,000.
Keller worked with the Lorain City Charter Commission in 1992, the city’s last round of deliberations for a panel to draft a charter.
Lorain resident Kathryn Kennedy, who last fall ran for a seat on the commission, offered to review existing city ordinances, research alternatives, draft a summary of commission decisions and provide a budget analysis for them.
Kennedy worked as a certified public accountant and gained research experience drafting policy for multi-million-dollar real estate and commercial loans, while working for Fifth-Third Bank and other banks.
Law firm
Three law firms sent proposals to work with the commission:
• Bricker & Eckler LLC of Columbus.
Lead partner attorney Paul Rutter would be the firm’s main consultant, with additional lawyers and assistants contributing as necessary.
The firm would bill the commission at an hourly governmental rate of $250 per hour, which yields a fee estimate of about $30,000 to $35,000, or more depending on the need.
• The Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association Service Corp.
Attorney Garry E. Hunter, general counsel of the Ohio Municipal League, would attend the meetings and write opinions about how to proceed.
Hunter’s rate would be $300 an hour.
• Walter Haverfield LLP Attorneys at Law.
The firm’s team includes attorney Kenneth S. Stumphauzer, who “will be responsible for overseeing the firm’s representation of the Charter Commission, utilizing his substantial background in municipal law and his years of experience as the Lorain law director to ensure that the Charter Commission receives outstanding legal advice and work product that respects and accounts for legal issues unique to the city.”
Attorney Ben Chojnacki would serve as the other primary attorney for the Lorain Charter Commission.
The law firm would charge $300 an hour for the partner attorneys, $250 an hour for the associate attorneys and $100 an hour for paralegals.