Item 4C AudioGood afternoon, Mayor and members of the City
Council. This is Lauren Clark, City Manager’s Office
intern.
This is the presentation of Item 4D: Approve a
Professional Services Agreement with McNally &
Associates in the amount of $49,900.
1
In January 2008, contact was made by our office to secure the professional
services of McNally & Associates. Initially, we requested that McNally &
Associates investigate three City of Southlake Police Department criminal cases
that were the subject of an anonymous complaint received by the City
Manager’s office in May 2007. Additionally, in the summer of 2007, a group of
City of Southlake police officers approached the Tarrant County District
Attorney’s Office with concerns about the handling of the above-referenced
cases in addition other cases with which the City Manager was unaware.
The District Attorney’s Office of Tarrant County recently completed its review of
these additional complaints and determined there was no criminal conduct by
the Chief of Police or any other member of the Southlake Police Department.
The District Attorney noted that the information presented to the local grand jury
did not establish a criminal event, and therefore they were not empowered to go
further with an investigation. Although they declined prosecution, they referred
the reviewed cases and issues raised to the City of Southlake City Manager’s
Office for possible further review and assessment.
2
Following the grand jury ruling, the City Manager’s Office entered into
discussions with McNally & Associates to expand the scope of their work to
provide an independent review of the eight cases brought to the District
Attorney’s office. We requested that McNally & Associates fully evaluate the
facts and circumstances of each case as well as the decision-making process
used in resolving those matters.
3
The expansion of the scope of the firm’s work from the original engagement of
reviewing the three cases in the anonymous complaint to include the additional
cases reviewed by the District Attorney’s office results in fees in excess of the
$50,000 procurement limits that can be entered into by the City Manager. To put
this in some perspective, the external audit for the City was recently approved at
$80,000 and although this work will not reach that amount it is very similar in
nature.
4
Staff recommends approval of the Professional services agreement with
McNally & Associates in the amount of $49,900, bringing the total of their work
to $69,900.
5
If you have any questions prior to the city council meeting, please contact Shana
Yelverton at (817) 748-8001.
6