FOOD FOR THOUGHT

  Dan has pointed out several changes in appointments that will take place Monday night at the Council’s reorganization meeting. Since there have been no reason given, we can assume that it is politics as usual.

 It might be of interest to the public that among the many resolutions are ones to “approved vendors”. By eliminating the “bidding process” in awarding contracts could this be a route to payola for political favorites.

  As a possible example, the contract with DAVID L. MINCHELLO ESQ OF RAINONE COUGHLIN MINCHELLO, LLC to provide legal services to the City and to act as the Council’s legal advisor at a stipend of $9500.00 per month payable to his firm allows him to delegate services to other members of his firm. That is 114K a year.

   In addition, in his role as Corporation Counsel he is responsible for “d: Management and assignment of all legal matters”. I presume that this gives him authority to contract various legal firms as (a) Bond Counsel-9 firms, (b) Litigation/Defense Counsel-16 firms, (c) Redevelopment Counsel-3 firms,(d)  Special Counsel for Tax Appeals, in rem Tax Foreclosure and Abandoned properties rehabilitation act enforcement-7 firms,(e) Workman’s Compensation Counsel-5 firms. Some like the Weiner Law Group or Palumbo, Renaud & DeAppollonio are approved vendors in more than one group.

  Since the Council is routinely approving contracts with various firms for sums up to 50K has anyone question the actual cost to the City for legal services. Or would a full time Corporation Counsel be more economical? That should be the Council’s job to find out; or for what are they compensated?