City Attorneys Meghan Bristol, Jeffrey Krok and Shanna Reed were present at the City Council meeting Thursday during the discussion on their reappointments. (Photo by Amy Porter)
WESTFIELD – Following a positive recommendation from the Personnel Action Committee, chair Cindy C. Harris presented the reappointment of three city attorneys to the City Council on Thursday, each for a three-year term. Harris said many city department heads and committee and commission members came to the PAC meeting in support of the reappointments.
Prior to the reappointments, an opinion from City Solicitor Susan Phillips that they must be for three years in accordance with the City Charter was placed on file. This opinion was in response to a question from At-large Councilor Dave Flaherty at the previous meeting as to whether the attorneys could be reappointed for one year terms. Flaherty had questioned three year terms when a new mayor would be coming on board and might prefer to hire his own team. “There is no benefit for locking into three-year terms for these types of leadership positions,” Flaherty repeated on Thursday.
Harris first submitted Jeffrey R. Krok to be reappointed as City Labor Counsel. Harris said Krok, who earned his Law Degree from Western New England College and is a visiting lecturer at Westfield State University, has served as Labor Counsel and lead negotiator with city unions and school unions since 2013.
Harris said Krok also trains city managers and employees on employment and labor topics, and advises and represents the Mayor, Superintendent, department heads and human resource personnel on contract drafting and interpretation, discipline, discharge, unfair labor practices, collective bargaining, negotiations and arbitration.
Harris said City Solicitor Susan Phillips stated that Krok exceeds expectations in handling the city and school department’s labor matters, and has been innovative in collective bargaining, and in representing the city before state agencies that have authority over municipal labor matters.
Flaherty made a motion to table the reappointment until the second meeting in January, which was supported by Councilors Allie, Emmershy, Flaherty and Surprise, but failed. The motion to reappoint Krok as Labor Council then passed 8 to 4, with Councilors Babinski, Bean, Beltrandi, Burns, Figy, Harris, LeFebvre, Onyski voting for the reappointment, and Allie, Emmershy, Flaherty and Surprise voting against. At-large Councilor Nicholas J. Morganelli, Jr. was absent from Thursday’s meeting.
In introducing the reappointment of Meghan Bristol as Assistant City Solicitor, Harris said that she obtained her degree from American University, Washington, D.C. College of Law, graduating cum laude. Appointed in 2016, Bristol provides legal opinions and advice to city boards, commission and departments. She handles tax title foreclosures and auctions of foreclosed properties, and appeals to the Mass Appellate Tax Board from Board of Assessors abatement denials.
Bristol also assists the Airport and Airport Commission in drafting and negotiating leases and FAA compliance, and has been involved in all aspects of water litigation for the city. She also assists the Department of Public Works Water Division with water system agreement negotiations and MassDEP compliance issues. Phillips stated that Bristol has become an important member in managing the water situation and her problem-solving skills are an asset, Harris said.
Emmershy said he didn’t have a problem with Bristol’s reappointment, but wanted to know how many claims were presented and resolved. “That’s the type of things we should have presented to us,” he said.
Figy responded that Emmershy’s request for the information should have gone to the City Solicitor, who said she would have supplied the Council with that information, and will do so now.
“Municipal Law is not Mark E. Salomone,” said At-large Councilor John J. Beltrandi, III, adding it isn’t all about win or lose. “I’m going to support all three of them,” he said, calling them invaluable and a good team that works together well.
Allie said that Bristol had done an excellent job in helping him to navigate the state’s complex open burning law, something he said most communities have not done.
Ward 1 Councilor Mary Ann Babinski said she supports the work the Law Dept. has been doing. She also said that she would think a new mayor would want the experience of the attorneys, especially on the water issues. “You can’t replace experience that quickly,” Babinski said.
“I have no problem with Meghan Bristol, Shanna Reed or Jeffrey Krok. We’re going to have a new mayor coming in, who will be stuck with them,” said Ward 3 Councilor Andrew Surprise. He also said he disagrees with some of the opinions the Council had been getting lately.
Babinski objected to the words “stuck with them,” saying whoever the new mayor is, he’d be happy to be stuck with them.
Flaherty also said he did appreciate the work that was being done, but felt that the Law Dept. did not view the Council as the client, but rather viewed the city as the client, which he said he would like to see changed. He also said that he would support the next two appointments.
At-large Councilor Brent B. Bean, II said he couldn’t believe that the Council would vote someone out of their job because their term is for three years. “Sue’s team has been phenomenal,” he said. The motion to reappoint Bristol passed unanimously.
Harris said First Assistant City Solicitor Shanna Reed had received her Law Degree from Boston University School of Law, and had been with the department since 2010. Her responsibilities include performing the duties of City Solicitor in Phillip’s absence. Reed’s other duties include procurement and contracts and licenses,
Harris said Reed also handles litigation, prepares documents for the City Council for eminent domain takings, and researches and drafts ordinances for the City Council, as well as advising department heads and boards and commission. She is also responsible for code enforcement and zoning, and works with the Building, Health and Fire departments on code enforcement.
Phillips stated Reed’s work is exceptional and considers her a valuable member of the Law Dept., taking on administrative functions along with the many legal matters that she directly oversees, Harris said.
Beltrandi said Shanna Reed was his go-to as council president. “This reappointment is an absolute no-brainer,” he said.
“We don’t owe anybody a job. Any time we get a reappointment, we have the responsibility to appoint the best people possible,” said Surprise.
Babinski said she has the “utmost respect for Atty. Reed,” who she said provided invaluable assistance and information to the Natural Resources Committee. “I don’t have any complaints. I wholeheartedly support her,” she said.
“As a member of L&O and now chair, I talk to her ten times a week,” said Ward 6 Councilor William Onyski. He said the idea that outside counsel could be used, which Surprise had suggested, would cost them $250 for each phone call.
Ward 4 Councilor Michael Burns also expressed his support. “I feel that we’re very lucky to have a group of young attorneys on staff. I appreciate all the work they do for the city,” he said.
Reed was also unanimously approved for the three-year reappointment.
