Agenda - Council Work Session - 05/07/2013

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water well and community waste -water treatment facility. The court agreed with our client that an EAW was not necessary for this project and its decision was not contrary to environmental regulations. MUNICIPAL FINANCING Our firm routinely drafts and reviews municipal contracts, fields questions about the bidding process, reviews bid specifications, represents municipalities on bidding disputes, and provides general counsel on purchasing and selling. The firm regularly advises clients about their financing alternatives in funding public projects or acquisitions. We are familiar with and advise our clients in the areas of Chapter 475 indebtedness, special assessments, lease purchasing, development funding (tax increment financing, etc.) and the like. Through our experience, we understand the TIF laws and the complexities in applying them to development within the City. POLICE ISSUES Aside from dealing with these issues as general counsel for Lino Lakes and other cities, we have represented many other municipalities on police - related issues, including the defense of departments on allegations of excessive force, sexual harassment, discrimination and intra- departmental employment matters. This includes representation before the Department of Human Rights and in state and federal court. We have recently represented a city in eliminating its police department and contracting with the County for police services. We also counsel clients on evolving issues such as police access to data concerning maltreatment of minors. MUNICIPAL LABORAND EMPLOYMENT LATE As public employers, cities are governed by a large number of laws that do not apply to private employers. Principally, cities are impacted by Minn. Stat. § 179A, the Public Employers Labor Relations Act. Other laws and constitutional provisions apply uniquely to the public sector. Our firm is proud of our extensive experience representing public clients in the municipal labor and employment law areas. Ann Goering, Terry Foy and Margaret Skelton have negotiated and administered numerous municipal collective bargaining agreements. We represent numerous counties in labor matters including Redwood, Murray, Lyon, Benton, Kandiyohi, Mower, Douglas, Big Stone, Renville, Stevens, Becker, Roseau and Pine Counties. We have also done work for the Cities of Prior Lake and Savage. We represent clients in all areas of public sector labor and employment law, including but not limited to negotiation, arbitration, mediation, unit clarifications, veteran's preference hearings, discipline and termination, discrimination, unemployment compensation hearings, civil service matters and the like. We have litigated many public labor cases, and have established positive precedent. For example, in Hervey v. Koochiching County, 2006 WL 2990515 (D. Minn. 2006), we defended our client against both federal and state claims for sex discrimination, creation of a hostile work environment, and retaliation. A federal court granted summary judgment to our client on all claims dismissing the matter with prejudice. It agreed with our argument that the plaintiff did not make out a prima facie showing for any of her claims of harassment against the County. 6