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his best to accommodate the needs of the city. He noted, however, office hours can be unnecessary <br />when there is not much to talk about <br /> <br />If your firm is not located locally, how do you intend to manage drive time and attending meetings <br />in the city? <br /> <br />Mr. Langel stated he represents a lot of cities and that has never been an issue. He added Ramsey <br />is within the metro area and getting to Ramsey for meetings is not a problem. <br /> <br />Do you feel it is appropriate for city staff to draft legal documents such as ordinances, purchase <br />agreements, development agreements? If not, why? If so, what is your role to ensure the city’s <br />interests are protected? <br /> <br />Mr. Langel stated it depends upon the City. He added some cities do not have the knowledge base, <br />but the City of Ramsey has historically been able to produce documents based on boiler plate <br />templates that were created for individual projects. He noted templates are a good place to start <br />and they can be revised or expanded as necessary. <br /> <br />Mr. Schafer stated he has worked on separation and settlement agreements, which also start out as <br />a template. He added he agrees it is great to have a place to start. <br /> <br />Describe the most challenging municipal issue you have faced during your legal career? What <br />were the circumstances and what was the outcome? <br /> <br />Mr. Langel stated he has had challenges in the past with Charter Commissions, but to be honest, <br />the most challenging issue he has faced involved the Ramsey City Council in February 2021, when <br />there was a strong disagreement between himself and the City Council over a Resolution. He <br />added the City Attorney should handle it as best they can based on their legal background and <br />expertise, and come up with what they feel is the best response. He noted his job is ultimately to <br />represent the City Council and through them the City of Ramsey. He noted he does not always <br />give an answer that people like, but that is not the ultimate goal. <br /> <br />If you did not list a monthly retainer as an option, please indicate why not, and whether your firm <br />is open to such an agreement. <br /> <br />Mr. Langel stated his firm has had a retainer agreement with the City of Ramsey for years. He <br />added there was an analysis of the retainer earlier this year, as there are months when it comes out <br />as a losing proposition for him and his firm, although it depends upon what is going on, and there <br />is always an ebb and flow. He noted he and his firm try to come up with an amount that is fair to <br />both sides, which gives the City some sense of consistency in terms of cost. <br /> <br />Please describe all factors that you would consider in regard to advising the city on how to respond <br />to a Governor’s Executive Order. What options are available to a City Council if they disagree <br />with a Governor’s Executive Order? <br /> <br />City Council Special Work Session / August 23, 2021 <br />Page 3 of 22 <br /> <br />