City Attorney

Closing Date: 22nd July, 2024

Description:

An Outstanding Opportunity
The City of Napa is seeking an experienced legal strategist to serve as its new City Attorney. This position is the result of the recent retirement of a long-standing and highly regarded professional.
Under the direction of the City Council, this position serves as the top legal advisor and has responsibility for managing the Office of the City Attorney, including building, and mentoring a team of attorneys and legal professionals. The ideal candidate will also possess a deep knowledge of municipal government and be skilled in providing advice and counsel to a vibrant local government entity. This experienced professional will also have excellent communication skills, a solution-driven approach with an appreciation for technology to enhance and streamline workflow with the focus on improving turn-around time. This rare opportunity to join the City of Napa is well-suited for an individual who enjoys and welcomes collaboration with the City Manager's Office as well as supporting the various municipal operating departments.
The Community
The City of Napa, covering 18.147 square miles, is located in the heart of the Napa Valley wine region. Widely known for its high-quality wines and picturesque vineyards, the region is home to about 475 wineries, ranging from small family-owned wineries to large well-known wine producers. Napa is also renowned for its culinary vibe with numerous Michelin-starred restaurants and farm-to-table eateries. The area has stunning views, numerous outdoor activities like bicycling, golfing, hiking, and hot air balloon rides, and a vibrant arts scene with galleries, theatres, and music venues.
With an average summer temperature of 83 degrees, the City of Napa is home to nearly 80,000 residents with a median age of 41.4 years old. Boasting more than 800 acres of park land, the city has 54 public parks, a low crime rate, and a high standard of living.
Governance Structure
The City of Napa is a Charter City. The City Council consists of five members, including one Mayor and four Councilmembers. The Mayor and each Councilmember are elected to four-year terms. The Mayor is elected at large, and the Councilmembers by district. The Vice Mayor is appointed annually by the Mayor and City Council pursuant to City Charter. In addition to appointing the City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk, the City Council is responsible for appointing members of City Commissions, Committees, and Boards.
The City Council and the City Manager are dedicated to the highest standards of integrity, public service, and innovative approaches to governing. Importantly, the City Attorney is an integral part of the leadership in this organization.
The City Council meets twice per month for regular meetings on the first and third Tuesday of the month.
The Adopted Budget for All Funds in FY25 is $309.6 million with approximately 518 FTEs, across the full-service agency's 11 departments (including Police and Fire). To learn more about the City's budget, click here.
Mission Statement
Rooted in public service, our mission is to grow a vibrant, sustainable community for all who live in, work in, and visit the City of Napa, through thoughtful leadership and dedication to excellence.
Core Values:

• Integrity - Consistently demonstrating the highest level of ethical conduct with accountability and pride.
• Service - Engaging in meaningful work to care for our community through resourceful dedication and humble actions.
• Inclusion - Creating a sense of ease and belonging through respect, acceptance, and mindfulness of our collective diversity.
• Collaboration - Working together with a shared purpose while respectfully considering all voices to achieve common goals, solutions, and greater outcomes.

Overview of Responsibilities
Under the direction of the City Council, this key contributor manages all legal activities, including civil and criminal litigation, utilizing a combination of in-house staff and outside counsel for various specialty areas including overflow of special assignments and projects. The City Attorney will also provide leadership and accountability for the hiring and retention of new attorneys as well as mentorship and general guidance on best practices, processes, and procedures.
This position is well-suited to an experienced municipal generalist with a solid understanding of the broad range of legal matters to include land use and planning; CEQA; public finance; personnel/labor relations; public works (including infrastructure); public contracts and bidding; development; and the drafting of ordinances, ballot initiatives, and resolutions.
Addressing and updating workflow, standardization of templates, and enhanced technology to support city-wide activities and operating departments will be a top priority for the new City Attorney.
Specific responsibilities include:

• Develops and oversees the implementation of short- and long-term goals, policies, and budget for the Office of the City Attorney.
• Reviews legal matters and priorities to be handled in-house and/or with outside counsel with a strategic view on the fiscal and staffing impact to the City; reviews and evaluates workflow as part of an operational assessment of the Office.
• Explores specific technology solutions and enhancements to provide efficiency in all phases of work by the Office.
• Oversees all litigation involving the City and determines how best to address matters for inhouse staffing or continued outsourcing.
• Drafts legal documents, such as agreements, ordinances, resolutions, and pleadings as well as election documents for general and special municipal elections; develops and enhances existing templates to improve workflow and ensure consistency.
• Reviews contracts, amendments, reports, and staff memos from operating departments to ensure conformity and streamline review, adding substantive changes.
• Analyzes legislation affecting the City; recommends policy and procedure changes.
• Negotiates with claimants and directs the work of outside counsel in defense of cases involving the City.
• Researches and approves the legality of bids, bonds, insurance policies, and claims to which the City is involved.
• Directs the staff of the City Attorney's office by establishing solid work standards; assigns, monitors, and evaluates work performance. Provides mentorship and training as well as administers personnel policies.
• Performs legal work surrounding property acquisition and disposal, public improvements, and issues related to public utilities.
• Addresses legal matters that involve public safety issues (police and fire) as well situations related to emergency management and natural disasters.
• Negotiates and resolves controversial legal issues, many dealing with land use and other planning related issues; addresses conformance to adopted General and Specific Plans.
• Responds to sensitive citizen inquiries, and complaints; assists others in suggesting legal resolution to wide range of matters.
• Serves as staff on a variety of boards, commissions, and committees; provides advice and counsel.
• Works in support of the City Council and City Manager on local and regional issues that impact the ongoing operations and legal affairs of the City including evaluation of strategies and options to consider.
• Prepares and presents staff reports and other necessary correspondence, often in a public setting.

The ideal candidate:
The City Attorney will bring a dynamic mix of analytical and pro-active legal skills with a solid background in the broad spectrum of municipal affairs. With a successful and notable career in California, the City Attorney will be a well-rounded professional in support of the elected body and city operations.
Additionally, the City Council seeks a legal advisor who has a leadership style that welcomes and invites discussion on legal and enterprise risk issues that may impact the City. This collaborative approach will encourage meaningful discussion, allow for evaluation of options, and then assist in charting the path forward.
Key characteristics desired by the City Council include:

• Confident and engaging leader with a passion for public service and strong work ethic.
• Ability to build trust and achieve a high-level of confidence in advice given to the policymakers.
• Embrace a solution-oriented focus on work products that will provide a legal path to more efficiently, effectively and collaboratively accomplish the work at all levels of the organization from the City Council to the City Manager's Office to the assistance given the operating and support departments.
• Embrace the City's adopted core values of integrity, service, collaboration and inclusion.
• Ability to innovate and incorporate best practices, technology, and efficiency into day-to-day operations.
• A strategic and forward-thinking legal advisor who can see the big picture involved in providing practical advice and counsel without becoming overly involved in the operational details.

• Responsive and timely on advice and counsel given to City Council and City Leadership.
• Expert understanding of the Brown Act, Government Code Section 1090, and a successful track record dealing with conflict of interest

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