Amador County – The Amador County Unified School District Board of Trustees in May narrowed a list of prospective legal firm contractors from eight to three, which will be interviewed by the superintendent and staff.

Assistant Superintendent of Business Tim Zearley said on May 9, the District received responses and proposals from eight legal firms to begin the selection process for selecting a legal services contractor. He said Trustee consensus at that meeting was for each board member to select three to five applicants for the May 23 meeting. Votes would be counted and the top three would be selected by consensus to be interviewed.

Trustee Pat Miller said he thought they voted to have two board members serve on a selection and interview committee. Board President Wally Upper said a third board member wanted to be involved, then a fourth joined. Even with just a third member, it became a quorum of the board and required noticed meetings.

Trustee Mary Walser said they decided to have each board member nominate 2 or 3 names. Upper said consensus was reached May 9 to have Trustees all pick names and nominate them, then opened the floor for nominations. Miller chose not to make nominations. Other Trustees Lynette Lipp, Rose Oneto, Walser and Upper read their nominees.

Upper counted the votes and said the top three were Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo; Girard, Edwards & Hance; and Lozano Smith. These three will be interviewed. Upper said board members should consider questions for the firms, for when interviews are undertaken.

Teri Crain of the Superintendent’s Office said legal firm applicants also included the Gutierrez Law Group; Liebert, Cassidy, Whitmore; Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard; Dannis, Woliver, Kelley; and Fagen, Friedman & Fulfrost.

Walser said Superintendent Glock should lead the way on interviews. Miller said they should ask the District office personnel for their input on the firms.

Zearley said: “I’m comfortable with the board’s suggestions.” He tried to provide a summary of the firms, but it was hard to gauge strengths from a response to a request for proposals. Zearley was “comfortable these are all reputable firms” and was comfortable interviewing all of them, or the three that were recommended.

Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti, assistant superintendent for curriculum, agreed. Nancy Gamache, executive director of personnel said she had worked with three of the firms and knew all were very capable and competent.

Upper said Glock would spearhead interviews. Glock said: “I agree with these three. As we talked about it in cabinet, these three rose to the top in my mind.”

Glock said by next week the search for a legal firm may be more narrowed, though he was not sure if a decision would be made by then.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.