Special Board of Selectmen’s Meeting
March 05, 2014
Meeting Minutes
Interviews of potential Town Counsel candidates
Attended by:
Board Chairman Jim Egan
Board Vice Chairman Stephen Amico
Selectman Don Howard
Selectmen David Soper
Selectman Richard Flynn
Town Administrator Ron San Angelo
Invited Law Firms:
Blatman, Bobrowski, & Mead, LLC – Jason Talerman
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey, and Lehane – David Deluca
Louison, Costello, Condon,, & Plaff – David Condon, Pat Costello
Murphy, Lamerre, & Murphy, PC – Michelle McNulty
The following questions were asked of each law firm:
Question #1 by Selectmen Jim Egan:
Please detail your experience in serving as Town Council? How many towns your firm has represented? Does your firm have any past or present experience working with a Regional School District?
Question #2 by Selectmen Amico
Please outline the number of attorneys in your firm that you would expect to work on Hanson cases? What municipal specialties do they offer?
Question #3 from Selectman Howard
Do you have any conflicts of interest with neighboring towns, the Hanson Water Department, the Regional School District, or any other public entity?
Question #4 from Selectman David Soper
Were you ever dismissed by a municipal client and if so, when was the most recent dismissal? If so, what adjustments have you made to prevent such situations?~
Question # 5 from Selectman Flynn
How much does your law firm charge on an hourly basis? Is the hourly rate incrementally charged? Quarterly, every half hour, etc. Do different attorneys have different hourly rates or will it be the same rate for all attorneys?
Question #6 from Selectman Egan
Does your firm provide monthly office hours to meet with department heads to answer questions and discuss pending cases? If so, what are your rates?
Question # 7 from Selectmen Amico
Does your firm provide free workshops on such topics as: Open Meeting Law, recent important changes in municipal laws, or any other topic that might be beneficial to a community?
After each law firm answered all questions Selectman Amico made the following motion:
I move to hire the law firm of Blatman, Bobrowski, & Mead as Hanson’s new Town Counsel. The motion was seconded by Selectmen Soper.
Discussion occurred by all Selectmen. Selectman Flynn stated that he liked the firm of Louison, Costello, Condon, & Plaff. He thought they were a little smaller, but was impressed with the presentation by the firm and believed that they were slightly better than the firm of Blatman, Bobrowski & Mead.
David Soper agreed that both law firms were excellent, but that he also agreed with Selectman Amico that Blatman, Bobrowski, & Mead had more experience.
Selectman Egan and Howard also agree that Blatman, Bobrowski, & Mead had more experience.
Board Chairman Egan called for a vote and the motion passed 4 to 1 with Selectmen Flynn voting no.
Respectfully submitted,
Ron San Angelo,
Town Administrator
Approved and Voted 5 – 0
March 18, 2014
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