REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: ANDREW JANZ, City Attorney
City Attorney's Office
BY: TINA R. GRIFFIN, Chief Assistant City Attorney
Litigation Unit, City Attorney's Office
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the Litigation Unit in the City Attorney's Office:
1. ***RESOLUTION - Adopt the 7th Amendment to the Position Authorization Resolution ("PAR") No. 2023-184, adding one full-time Paralegal position in the City Attorney's Office (Subject to Mayor's Veto).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council authorize the adoption of the 7th Amendment to the Position Authorization Resolution (PAR) No. 2023-184, adding one full-time Paralegal position in the City Attorney's Office (CAO).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff recommends Council approve the 7th Amendment to the PAR to add one full-time Paralegal position as Public Records Act requests have greatly increased (i.e., CAO processed nearly 5,000 Public Records Act requests in 2023, an increase of nearly 3,000 annually from 2018) and to meet legally required timelines, avoid unnecessary litigation, and reduce backlog and workloads, an additional full-time Paralegal position is necessary. In addition, full compliance with City civil service rules requires the addition of a Paralegal position at this time, resulting from compulsory personnel processes.
BACKGROUND
As a result of Senate Bill 16 (e.g., the 45-day response timeframe and expanded categories of records required to be produce through the Public Records Act), the number of requests the City normally receives and process within a year has greatly increased. The CAO has processed nearly 5,000 Public Records Act requests in 2023, which was an increase of nearly 3,000 requests annually from 2018. In addition, the City also has a current backlog and workloads that all paralegal staff have been working hard to help reduce.
Even with the current number of staff working on these increased Public Records Act requests, the CAO is having dif...
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