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Parlier council approves special‑counsel agreement amid dispute over missing contracts and legal authority
Summary
Parlier City Council recorded a vote to approve a special‑counsel services agreement for employment‑relations matters after heated debate and public comment; the city attorney and mayor said the agreement lacks a delegating resolution and may be ineffective until the council returns with specific assignments.
Parlier City Council members voted to approve a service agreement for a special counsel to provide employment‑relations advice, but the action drew contention over whether the approval can be implemented without a separate resolution spelling out who may request work and authorizing execution.
Mayor Beltran opened a special meeting and spent much of the session challenging how prior special meetings and closed‑session items were handled, saying a council member’s participation in certain closed sessions and any resulting action can violate the law. She repeatedly pressed staff for records, saying signed originals of several contracts are missing and that internal controls should be tightened.
Assistant city manager Serta told the council the special‑counsel search began at the council’s direction and produced a small number of responses; the draft agreement before the council is…
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