Council appoints Andrew Shen interim city attorney and approves up to $250,000 in contract services

The City of Tracy on Dec. 20 appointed Andrew Shen as interim city attorney and approved a contract for interim legal services with Rene Public Law Group not to exceed $250,000.

City Attorney Bijal Patel told the council she will leave the city at the end of the month and recommended hiring an interim to ensure continuity. "As everyone knows, my last day at the city is, 12:31 of this year," Patel said, and described contacting on‑call firms before concluding that Shen and his firm offered the best fit and schedule flexibility.

Patel said she contacted five firms on the council's approved on‑call list, interviewed candidates and determined that Shen "offered the most flexibility with respect to how much he could scale up … in terms of how long the council may need his services as an interim." She added that Shen could commit to in‑person days and weekly hours to support a transition.

An unidentified council member moved to adopt a resolution appointing Andrew Shen as interim city attorney and to approve a scope of services to the existing legal services agreement with Rene Public Law Group "for interim city attorney services not to exceed an amount of $250,000." The motion was seconded and passed on roll call with affirmative votes recorded.

The council also reported, after an earlier closed session, that it had authorized staff to secure a recruiter to fill the permanent city attorney position.

The appointment takes effect immediately under the approved scope; the motion did not specify an exact end date for Shen's interim assignment. The staff report noted Shen was available online to answer questions but no additional public comment was offered on the item before the vote.

Councilmembers recorded their votes by roll call following the motion. No amendments were made to the contract scope during the meeting.

The council adjourned after brief holiday remarks.