LOS ANGELES CITY ATTORNEYS' ASSOCIATION
(LACAA) / SEIU LOCAL 721

BOARD MEETING MINUTES

 

Meeting Date / Time: Thursday, February 10, 2011;  12:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Meeting Site: Committee Room 1050
City Hall

Board Members Present: Oscar Winslow (President), Howard Fuchs (First Vice-President), Mark Lambert (Second Vice-President), Juliann Anderson (Secretary), Nick Karno (Criminal Director), Patrick Hiscocks (Criminal Director), Garcelle Embry (Civil Director),  Marie McTeague (Civil Director), Christopher Bobo (Proprietary Director).

SEIU Local 721 Representative
Present: Bob Hunt  (General Counsel)

City Budget Update

--            SEIU / Coalition Update (Hunt)
- No formal bargaining happening
- Coalition of L.A. Unions holding informal discussions  (Julie Butcher (SEIU), Victor Gordo (Laborers), Cheryl Parisi (AFSCME)
- CAO projects 2011-2012 deficit  ($300 million – estimate)
- Coalition operating on several fronts: 1) Pension reform (New tier for new employees)
               2) Retirement health insurance. Currently, no ironclad guarantee of employee or spousal health insurance upon retirement. Retirement healthcare subsidy might be a target. Discussion re vesting the subsidy, so guaranteed. So while pension guaranteed, health insurance is not.
- Coalition negotiating meeting -- ideas
            --            Voluntary furlough (work less hours)
            --            Dispute resolution system (saves on worker's compensation)
            --            Pension reform
            --            City not managing – needs to manage more effectively
            --            Collections
            --            City Council sitting on it
            -            Holding council and mayor accountable
            --            Size of mayor's and council members' staffs
            --            Accountability / public visibility
            Coalition rally on February 14; noon; City Hall south lawn
            --            Reaching out to community, neighborhood councils
            --            Example:  city just opened new jail, but had to pull police off street
                       
--            Meetings with Management  (Winslow, Bobo)
Management has committed to talking to board as often as necessary. Meeting schedule with Carter on February 2.

Issue:  furloughs not necessary for some DCAs (if in proprietary / grant- funded positions). Response from management: city attorney concerned about image of people being treated differently / unequally within office. CA's goal is to get everyone off furloughs. Management agreed to look at issue.

            Issue: - Office morale – huge issue.  Goal is to have regular meetings w/ Carter, Trutanich
- Audience question: some not furloughed? Response:  DCAs in worker's compensation, public finance, elections. - Audience question: gap between time when comp time kicks in (after 80 hours) . People work, but don't get comp time until after 80 hours. Response:  no resolution

--            Meetings with Council members  (Winslow)
Lobbying / building relationship with council members. Karno:   from board retreat on 1.29.11 – message is public safety, to cut budget further would harm city. Board decided to take own initiative to talk to council. Council scheduled vote on 2.1.11 to cut another $3 million from city attorney's             office.             Karno and Anderson met w/ Alarcon, Smith, Rosendahl
            Discussion points: CA's budget cut from $117M to $77 M in 18 months, 62 volunteer attorneys, reduced outside counsel by half; now more work with fewer, attorney procurement – hard freeze.
            LACAA members w/ relationships w/ council – invited to help.

Public Relations
--            Brendan Huffman (DCA Tamar Galantzen's husband) – oral presentation re possibility of LACAA hiring his firm. Public affairs group, lobbyist for LA Chamber of Commerce, worked in the Assembly. Goal:  to tell story of how CA's office works

Upcoming Continuing Education
--            Lambert:  need continuing education for members, Embry:  LACERS  presentation

Grievance Update
--             Audience Q:  status of furlough issue.  Winslow:  coordinating with other grievances
--            Volunteers: Winslow:  agreement with City Attorney. Audience:  need to talk to Central deputies.  They have the responsibility of accompanying volunteers.

Communication
--            Motion to send out personal email solicitation. Approved

Minutes respectfully submitted,
Juliann Anderson
Board Secretary
Los Angeles City Attorneys' Association