Clyde Hill News: “Temporary legal services the top priority until further notice.”
Also: Exemptions from rising property taxes for seniors and disabled homeowners
The City’s current law firm, Ogden Murphy Wallace, notified the City last week that “effective no later than the close of business on December 31, 2021” the firm “will terminate the provision of legal services to the City of Clyde Hill.”
In this issue:
The City’s legal representation — what happened and what does it mean?
As property taxes continue to rise, tax-relief resources for seniors as well as disabled homeowners.
In anticipation of the last two newsletter issues of the year (“2021 in Review” and “Preview of 2022”), some questions about what’s important to you.
Disclaimer: while I am a council member-elect on the Clyde Hill City Council, I write this newsletter in my capacity as an individual resident. Any opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily the position of the City. The information and references here are public and the resources used to generate the letter are entirely my own.
Absence of interim legal contract
Last week, the City’s soon-to-be former law firm Ogden Murphy Wallace (OMW) sent the City a letter (below). The key bits: the subject line “Termination of Legal Services” and “OMW will not be offering an interim legal services contract as earlier indicated.”
How did the City get here and (more importantly) what does it mean?
Back in August, we reported that Clyde Hill would “reconsider its legal representation for the first time in 33 years.” Part of the challenge was that the City’s legal representation had been on autopilot. From a May 2021 email to the City Council from the City Administrator in response to a request for the current legal services contract:
Staff scoured records and archives at length looking for the requested information. The only items we were able to locate were a “Provision of Legal Services” letter between John Wallace and Mayor Richards dated September 8, 1988 and an Appointment letter with the same parties dated October 6, 1988 (attached). At which point, it appears that OMW [Ogden Murphy Wallace] was retained and appointed Legal Counsel for the City of Clyde Hill. Terms and conditions were spelled out.
The current firm, Ogden Murphy Wallace, chose to not submit a proposal when Clyde Hill put its legal representation work out for bid. In November, in a letter that the City included in its December City Council Meeting packet, the current City attorney wrote warmly and noted an interim legal services agreement was imminent:
Between the November 16th letter above and this December 15th letter below, something changed, resulting in OMW not offering interim services:
This reversal is both unusual and confusing: it’s not clear what events would cause this change. Related and also confusing is this exchange from the City Council meeting in December. A council member attempted to bring a resolution up for discussion; it was suppressed and held back from the agenda for legal reasons. In this video from the meeting, the Mayor comments (around the 3m35s mark) about “potential litigation related to [the] resolution.” Overall, this is just very confusing.
Significance
Not having legal representation is a problem. It’s good that the City is demonstrating urgency in addressing it and making “temporary legal services the top priority until further notice.”
The City Adminstrator’s memo offers that “failure to possess legal representation carries… the potential for significant issues.”
In terms of what it means: the City acknowledges that it is working to cover “one of the most important consulting functions in the City” and that this problem will “have further down-stream effects on timelines for other deliverables tied to legal review” like the Comprehensive Plan and Title 17 Updates, public records requests, contract approval, and more.
Property Tax Relief
The City approved a 1% increase in property taxes at its December meeting on the 7th. (Note that of the amount that residents pay in property tax to King County, only 5% goes to the City of Clyde Hill.)
One reader wrote in that “Not all people in Clyde Hill have the ability to pay increased taxes. Yes, they have valuable property, but are on a fixed income.”1
He’s absolutely right. King County has resources for this issue here:
There are additional senior exemption resources (including videos) here as well.
Your Opinion Please
The last two issues of the year, still under construction, are a “2021 in Review” and a “Preview of 2022”). Some of the topics include:
For $1.9m, what do residents get as part of the City’s Facilities Master Plan? (link)
The 17th Street City Stormwater System flooding that’s been going on for over a year — does the City have a plan and timeline to help residents?
Transparency Report. Hiring legal representation, appointing residents to commissions, and other City processes provide residents no expectations about notice, or visibility, or the criteria the City might use in making a choice.
Budget. The City runs at a deficit. Does the City Administration think it matters, does it matter, and whose job is it to deliver a balanced budget?
What matters to you? Please forward to your friends and neighbors in Clyde Hill and then reply with what you think and what matters to you.
thank you —
Dean
Thank you SH of Aqua Vista!