Council May Hire Outside Labor Negotiator

The Piedmont City Council tonight will consider a plan to hire an outside negotiator to handle contract talks with unions representing municipal employees.

Finance Director Mark Bichsel and City Administrator Geoffrey Grote recommend hiring Janae Novotny, a partner with the law firm Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP, to negotiate all labor contracts during 2013 and 2014. Tonight's action would appropriate $50,000 for Novotny's services.

City Attorney Thomas Curry is also an attorney with Burke, Williams & Sorenson.

Although the City of Piedmont has used third-party labor negotiators in the past, in recent years Grote and Bichsel have represented the city in contract talks.

The council meets at 7:30 tonight in the City Hall council chambers, 120 Vista Ave. The meeting agenda and a staff report on the labor negotiator proposal are attached.

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