at City of Nampa in NAMPA, Idaho, United States
Job Description
POSITION SUMMARY:
As a member of the Legal team, which reports to the Mayor’s Office, assists the City Attorney in providing legal advice and counsel to the Mayor, the City Council, Department Directors, and City employees on a wide variety of municipal law issues. The individual is expected to represent the City in litigation, administrative hearings, contract negotiations, and other legal matters and proceedings, including, but not limited to, handling infraction and misdemeanor prosecutions.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
• Advise the Mayor, City Council, Boards and Commissions, and City staff in all legal matters that pertain to their role in the City's organization. Offer advice and/or opinions on all legal matters under consideration by the Mayor, Council, Boards and Commissions, and the City's staff.
• Serve as legal counsel to the City of Nampa, assisting members of the Legal Team with all legal matters, both civil and criminal.
• Provide legal review and guidance to all City Departments for various municipal matters, such as contracts for public works projects, professional service agreements, grant proposals, inquiries with public record requests, public hearing procedures, and the interpretation of laws and ordinances.
• Provides legal advice and counsel to the Mayor, City Council, City Departments, and City boards and commissions on the legal risks and viable options regarding governmental and operational affairs.
• Represent the City in civil litigation cases and/or administrative hearings; prepare memoranda, motions, briefs, and pleadings for judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings; negotiate, review, and prepare agreements and contracts for City Departments; may represent the City in complex contract negotiations.
• Attend City Council meetings and other City public meetings, as needed or assigned.
• By request or direction, provide training to City employees, as well as legal training in civil and related law topics in areas of law, risk assessment, legal compliance, and policy development.
• Deliver excellent customer service to the public, other City staff, and departments. Provide information, answer questions, and respond to inquiries in person and by telephone.
• Direct and assign tasks to legal staff assistants.
• As may be assigned, prosecutes misdemeanor and traffic infractions, including appeals, and domestic violence cases. Coordinates efforts of police, county prosecutors, victim-witness coordinator, and other victim advocates, victims, and Domestic Violence Court personnel in the prosecution and resolution of domestic violence cases. Researches and prepares legal briefs on criminal matters, including appeals. Represents the City to the specialty courts and other community and law enforcement groups, committees, and agencies, as assigned.
The range of services routinely includes, but is not limited to, the following areas of municipal law:
o Public Records Act
o Conflicts of Interest
o Collection law - matters related to the collection of accounts receivable
o Election law
o Contracts
o Real estate law and property transactions
o Land use and environmental law - including land leasing, cell towers, and naming rights
o Public Works contracting/public contracts/capital projects
o Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
o Labor negotiations
o Code Enforcement
o Tort liability and risk management
o Fees, taxes, assessments
o Water rights
o Ordinances and resolutions
o State of emergency declarations and powers
o Municipal financing- bonding, enterprise funds, etc.
Continually update City ordinances, procedures, and practices.
• Review and analyze local, state, and federal pending legislation, laws, and court decisions, and provide updates to the Mayor, City Council, and City staff. Legal Staff will need to proactively propose modifications to City policies, ordinances, and plans.
• Review and approve staff reports, preliminary research/analysis, and/or prepare ordinances, resolutions, contracts, deeds, leases, and other legal documents as required by the City.
• Represent the City in civil litigation brought on behalf of, or against, the City as necessary, as requested by the Mayor and City Council.
ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS:
• May be directed by the Mayor and City Council to recommend, manage, and monitor the performance of selected outside special counsel who is responsible for providing litigation or other special services. If there is a lapse in those special legal services, the Attorney could be tasked with providing the needed services as well.
• Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this position at any time.
• Performs other directly related duties consistent with the role and function of the classification
