Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPR 24976: A TWO-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH GREENBERG TRAURIG, LLP FOR THE PROVISION OF STATE LEGISLATIVE CONSULTING AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR PR 24976 05/07/26 TNR INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Law Department DATE: June 30, 2026 RE: Resolution Authorizing a Two-Year Agreement with Greenberg Traurig, LLP for State Legislative Consulting and Government Relations Services INTRODUCTION: This resolution seeks City Council authorization for the City Manager to execute a two-year agreement with Greenberg Traurig, LLP of Austin, Texas, to provide state legislative consulting and government relations services for the City of Port Arthur. BACKGROUND: On December 10, 2025, and December 17, 2025, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking qualified firms to provide comprehensive legislative consulting and government relations services. Following evaluation of the submitted proposals, Greenberg Traurig, LLP was determined to be the most qualified firm. Subsequently,the City Council approved Resolution No. 26-226, authorizing the City Manager to negotiate an agreement with the firm and return the negotiated contract to the City Council for final approval. �' Under the proposed ro osed agreement, Greenberg Traurig, LLP will serve as the City's legislative lative and governmental relations representative before state governmental entities. The firm will assist the City in developing and advancing legislative priorities, monitoring legislation and regulatory actions, identifying funding opportunities, advocating on behalf of the City before legislative and executive branch officials, and providing strategic advice regarding governmental affairs that impact municipal operations and economic development initiatives. BUDGET: The agreement will commence on June 30, 2026, and continue through June 30, 2028. Compensation shall be a flat monthly fee of$8,000.00, resulting in a total contract amount not to exceed$192,000.00 over the two-year term. Funding for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 is available in the Law Department Professional Services Account No. 001-05-013-5420-00-10-0, Project No. LD0001.OTH.LEG. Funding for subsequent fiscal years shall be subject to City Council approval and appropriation through the annual budget process. RECOMMENDATION: Approval of this agreement will provide the City with professional legislative representation and strategic governmental affairs support, enhancing the City's ability to advocate for municipal priorities, pursue legislative initiatives, and secure governmental resources beneficial to the citizens of Port Arthur. Staff recommends approval of the resolution. PR 24976 05/07/26 TNR RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A TWO-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH GREENBERG TRAURIG, LLP OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, FOR THE PROVISION OF STATE LEGISLATIVE CONSULTING AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR FOR $8,000.00 PER MONTH, FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $192,000.00. FUNDING FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026 IN THE AMOUNT OF$24,000.00 IS AVAILABLE IN THE LAW DEPARTMENT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ACCOUNT NO. 001-05-013- 5420-00-10-0, PROJECT NO. LD0001.OTH.LEG. THE REMAINING CONTRACT AMOUNT IS SUBJECT TO ANNUAL APPROPRIATION AND APPROVAL OF THE 2026-2027 BUDGET BY THE CITY COUNCIL. WHEREAS, the City of Port Arthur seeks to advance and protect its governmental, legislative, regulatory, and financial interests before state governmental entities through professional legislative consulting and government relations services; and WHEREAS, on December 10, 2025, and December 17, 2025, the City issued a Request for Proposals seeking qualified firms to provide legislative consulting and government relations services; and WHEREAS, after a thorough evaluation of the submitted proposals, Greenberg Traurig, LLP was selected as the most qualified firm to provide the requested services; and, WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 26-226, the City Council authorized the City Manager to negotiate an agreement with Greenberg Traurig, LLP, and return the negotiated agreement to the City Council for consideration and approval prior to execution; and WHEREAS, under the proposed agreement, Greenberg Traurig, LLP will serve as the City's legislative and governmental relations representative and will establish and maintain relationships with state agencies, legislative bodies, elected officials, and other public and private stakeholders whose actions may affect the interests of the City; and WHEREAS, the scope of services includes monitoring legislation and governmental actions affecting the City, advocating for municipal priorities before the Texas Legislature and state agencies, assisting with legislative strategy, and providing advice regarding legislative, regulatory, financial, and budgetary matters impacting the City; and WHEREAS, the proposed agreement shall commence on June 30, 2026, and expire on June 30, 2028, unless earlier terminated in accordance with its terms, and provides for compensation in the amount of $8,000.00 per month for a total contract amount not to exceed $192,000.00; and WHEREAS,Funding for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 in the amount of$24,000.00 is currently available in the Law Department Professional Services Account No. 001-05-013-5420-00-10-0, PR 24976 05/07/26 TNR Project No. LD0001.OTH.LEG. Funding for subsequent fiscal year 2026-2027 shall be subject to City Council approval and appropriation through the annual budget process; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that entering into the agreement with Greenberg Traurig, LLP for legislative consulting and government relations services is in the best interest of the City and will enhance the City's ability to effectively advocate for municipal priorities and secure favorable legislative outcomes, in substantially the same form as Exhibit "A." NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR,TEXAS: SECTION 1.That the findings and recitals set forth in the preamble of this Resolution are hereby found to be true and correct and are incorporated herein for all purposes. SECTION 2. That the City Manager is hereby authorized to execute an agreement with Greenberg Traurig, LLP for the provision of state legislative consulting and government relations services for the City of Port Arthur, in substantially the same form as Exhibit"A". SECTION 3. The agreement shall commence on June 30, 2026, and expire on June 30, 2028,unless earlier terminated in accordance with its terms. Compensation shall be paid at the rate of$8,000.00 per month for a total contract amount not to exceed$192,000.00. SECTION 4. Funding for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 in the amount of$24,000.00 is currently available in the Law Department Professional Services Account No. 001-05-013-5420-00-10-0, Project No. LD0001.OTH.LEG. Funding for the subsequent fiscal year 2026-2027 shall be subject to City Council approval and appropriation through the annual budget process SECTION 5. That this Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage and adoption. READ,ADOPTED AND APPROVED THIS day of A.D., 2026 , at a Meeting of the City Council of the City of Port Arthur, Texas,by the following vote: Mayor: Councilmembers: ;NOES: • Charlotte M. Moses, Mayor ATTEST: Christe Whitley Ned, City Secretary PR 24976 05/07/26 TN R APPROVED AS TO FORM: Roxann Pais Cotroneo, City Attorney APPROVED F ISTRATION: Ron Burton, , Ci anager PR 24976 05/07/26 TNR EXHIBIT A GT GreenbergTraurig Karen Kennard Tel 512.320.7263 Karen.Kennard@gtlaw.com June 2,2026 ENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT This ENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is entered by and between the undersigned, Greenberg Traurig, LLP ("Law Firm"), and the City of Port Arthur ("City"), Texas, a municipal corporation of the State of Texas. Section 1. Services: The Law Firm will perform the designated services and/or provide the designated products as set forth in Exhibit A ("Services"), which is attached hereto and incorporated for all purposes. The work under this Agreement shall be completed as detailed in Exhibit A.The terms and conditions of this Agreement take precedence over any other exhibits and attachments. Section 2. Term and Termination: This Agreement shall begin on June 30, 2026, and shall terminate June 30,2028. Section 3. Travel: The Law Firm shall not be reimbursed for travel conducted in the pursuit of this Agreement. Section 4. Fees,Limit of Appropriation and Fiscal Funding. Greenberg Traurig will be paid a flat monthly fee of$8,000 per month to represent the City of Port Arthur. This fee includes all travel and other expenses related to the representation of the City and covers all the activities listed in Exhibit A; and other related legislative activities as assigned by the City. The Law Firm clearly understands and agrees that the City shall have available only the amount budgeted by the City to discharge any and all liabilities which may be incurred by the City pursuant to this Agreement and that the total maximum compensation that the Law Firm may become entitled to hereunder and the total maximum sum that the City shall become liable to pay to the Law Firm hereunder shall not under any conditions, circumstances, or interpretations, hereof, exceed the said total maximum sum provided for in this section without prior written permission from the City. If this Agreement extends beyond the City's fiscal year, there shall be a fiscal funding out. If, for any reason, funds are not appropriated to continue this Agreement in the new fiscal year, this Agreement shall become null and void on the last day of the current appropriation of funds without penalty of any kind or form to the City. ACTIVE 724621141 v6 Section 5.Relationship of the Parties: The Law Firm is an independent contractor and is not an employee,partner,joint venture,or agent of City.The Law Firm understands and agrees that he/she will not be entitled to any benefits generally available to City of Port Arthur employees. The Law Firm shall be responsible for all expenses necessary to carry out the services under this Agreement and shall not be reimbursed by City for such expenses except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. Section 6.Authorityof City Manager:All Services to be performed by the Law Firm Projectg hereunder shall be performed to the satisfaction of the City's project manager,namely the City Attorney or her designee. The City's project manager shall decide all questions, which may arise as to the quality or acceptability of the Services performed by the Law Firm and the decisions of the City's project manager in such cases shall be final and binding on both parties. However, nothing contained herein shall be construed to authorize the City's project manager to alter,vary or amend this Agreement. Section 7. Intellectual Property: This Agreement shall be an agreement for legal and legislative services and the parties intend and consider any work created because of this Agreement,including all documentation,images,products or results,to be a work for hire under federal copyright law. Ownership of the work shall belong to and remain the exclusive property of City, except, Law Firm data/logo/work product is NOT subject to being edited and reused by the City in its discretion. If the work would not be considered a work-for-hire under applicable law the Law Firm shall not sell, disclose or obtain any other compensation for the Services provided herein. Section 8. Confidentiality: During the term of this Agreement, the Law Firm may encounter confidential information of the City. The Law Firm agrees to treat as confidential the information or knowledge that becomes known to the Law Firm during performance of this Agreement and not to use, copy, or disclose such information to any third party unless authorized in writing by the City. This provision does not restrict the disclosure of any information that is required to be disclosed under applicable law.The Law Firm shall promptly notify the City of any misuse or unauthorized disclosure of its confidential information and upon expiration of this Agreement shall return to the City all confidential information in the firm's possession or control.The Law Firm shall further comply with all provisions of the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. Section 9. Conflicts. GT, as a law firm, represents a broad group and spectrum of clients in a variety of legal matters. Accordingly, conflicts of interest or potential conflicts may arise that, absent an effective conflict's waiver, may adversely affect your ability and the ability of other clients or potential clients to choose GT as counsel, and possibly preclude GT from representing you or them in pending or future matters. We wish to be fair to all clients, and to assure that they have the right and ability to use us or any other counsel of their choice. Accordingly, this Agreement confirms that: a. Consent and Waiver. You are comfortable (after having had sufficient opportunity to consider, investigate and consult independent counsel to the extent you may wish) that you are adequately informed about the possibility and nature of such conflicts and potential conflicts and of the risks and consequences or potential consequences of them. Therefore, on the ACTIVE 724621141v6 conditions stated below,to the fullest extent legally and ethically permissible,you have determined to and hereby confirm that you do: [i] waive any such actual or potential conflict; [ii] consent to GT's representation now or in the future of other present or future clients in any other matter (including without limitation transactions, litigation, and other legal or ethical proceedings or matters),whether or not on a basis adverse to you or any of your affiliates, except as stated below (a "Permitted Adverse Representation"); and [iii] promise for yourself or your affiliates not to assert that this Engagement or GT's Services or other representation of you or your affiliates is or should be a basis for disqualifying GT from representing any other party in any"Permitted Adverse Representation"or gives rise to or supports a claim of breach of duty against GT. b. Conditions. The foregoing waiver and agreements are conditioned upon and limited by GT's agreement, confirmed hereby, that GT: [i] will not represent others adversely to you in a matter involving the Subject Matter or substantially related to it or any other matter in which GT is representing or has represented you or your affiliates; [ii] will screen those attorneys representing you or your affiliates from those attorneys who will represent other clients adversely to you or your affiliates; [iii] not use or disclose confidential information of you or your affiliates which is nonpublic and not known to such other clients adversely to you in any such matter or otherwise as may not be permissible under applicable rules of professional conduct, other ethical rules or any written agreement by GT pertaining to such information. While GT may represent current or potential clients that you may consider to be competitors or whose business interests are adverse to yours, consistent with applicable rules of professional conduct or other ethics rules or other law or rules relating to the Services and the foregoing,I personally will not lobby before the Executive and Legislative Branches of [USA, STATE, ETC.] on the subjects covered by the Services on behalf of a another GT client with competing business interests adverse to you during the term of this agreement,without your written approval. c. Continuation. Subject to the law and such ethical rules, these waivers and conditions apply to current and past conflicts and potential conflicts and will continue to do so in the future, including during or after termination of GT's representation of you as to the Subject Matter and you or your affiliates in this and any other engagement. Section 10. Warranties and Representations: The Law Firm warrants and agrees that Law Firm shall perform the Services and conduct all operations in conformity with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, and ordinances. For any Service performed on premises owned or controlled by the City, the Law Firm warrants and agrees that the firm will perform the Services in compliance with all City rules, including but not limited to,prohibitions related to the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. Section 11 Licenses/Certifications: The Law Firm agrees to obtain, at its own cost, all approvals, licenses, filings, registrations and permits required by federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances, required for the performance of the Services. Section 12. Performance/Qualifications and Assignment: The Law Firm agrees and represents that the firm has the personnel, experience, and knowledge necessary to qualify the firm for the duties to be performed under this Agreement. The Law Firm warrants that all services performed under this Agreement shall be performed consistent with generally prevailing professional or industry standards. The City and the Law Firm bind themselves and ACTIVE 724621141v6 their successors,executors,administrators,and assigns to this Agreement and to the successors, executors, administrators and assigns of the other party, with respect to all covenants of this Agreement. Neither the City nor the Law Firm shall assign, sublet or transfer its or his interest in this Agreement without the written consent of the other, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld. Nothing herein shall be construed as creating any personal liability on the part of any officer or agent of any public body,which may be a party hereto. Section 13.Force Majeure:Neither City nor the Law Firm will be liable for any failure,breach, loss, damage, or delay in the performance of this Agreement due to any cause beyond its reasonable control, including an act of war, an act of God, earthquake, flood, embargo, riot, sabotage, labor shortage or dispute, governmental act, or failure of the Internet (not resulting from the negligence or willful misconduct of Law Firm), provided that the delayed party: (a) gives the other party prompt notice of such cause,and(b)uses its reasonable commercial efforts to promptly correct such failure or delay in performance. Section 14. Notices: Any notice given under this contract by either party to the other may be given by personal delivery in writing or by mail, registered or certified postage prepaid with return receipt requested.Mailed notices shall be addressed to the addresses of the parties as they appear in the contract. Notices delivered personally shall be deemed communicated at the time of actual receipt. Mailed notice shall be deemed communicated three(3) days after mailing. Section 15. Jurisdiction: The City and the Law Firm agree that any dispute under this Agreement shall be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in Travis County, Texas, and that this Agreement shall be governed by Texas law, except for the conflict of law provisions. Section 16. Entire Agreement: This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes all prior agreements, arrangements, and understandings, oral or written, between the parties relating to this Agreement. This Agreement may not be modified except by mutual written agreement of the parties executed after this Agreement. Section 17. Severability: If any provision(s) of this Agreement shall for any reason be held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of that provision(s) shall not affect any other provision(s) of this Agreement, and it shall further be construed as if the invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provision(s) had never been a part of this Agreement. Section 18.Authority: The Law Firm warrants and represents that the firm has full power and authority to enter into and perform this Agreement and to make the grant of rights contained herein. The person signing on behalf of City represents that he/she has authority to sign this agreement on behalf of City. ACTIVE 724621141v6 Greenberg Traurig, LLP City of Port Arthur By: By: Name: Karen M. Kennard Name: Roxann Pais Cotroneo Title: Shareholder, Title: City Attorney Date: June 2, 2026 Date: Il II ACTIVE 724621141v6 Title Project Responsibilities Core Team We appreciate your decision to engage Greenberg Traurig, LLP, (referred to herein as "GT"), to represent the City of Port Arthur regarding government affairs with the Executive and Legislative branches of the State of Texas. GT will be paid a flat monthly fee of$8,000 to represent the city. This fee includes all travel and other expenses related to the representation of the city and covers the activities listed in the RFP for Services as well as other related legislative activities assigned by the city. The goal of the representation is for GT to serve as the principal contact for the City of Port Arthur on legislative matters of importance to the city and to advocate on behalf of the city before the Texas legislature, executive branch officers, and state agencies. Karen M. Shareholder Serves as team leader and manages the relationship Kennard with the city as the primary point of contact for receiving and carrying out the City's instructions and goals. Serves as lead strategist for the city and lead advocate with legislators and agency officials. Assists the City in developing legislative goals and priorities. Develop work plans to accomplish the City's goals and assign tasks to members of the GT team. Regularly reports on legislative matters to the Mayor, Council, City Manager, and City Attorney,or their designee. Arranges and attends meetings with the client or represents the city at meetings, as appropriate Demetrius Shareholder Serves as a senior team member responsible for contact McDaniel with legislators and Executive Branch officials. Serves as a strategist for the city and advocates with legislators and agency officials. Implements established work plans to accomplish the City's goals. Arranges and attends meetings with the city, as appropriate Elizabeth Shareholder Serves as a senior team member responsible for contact Ross Hadley with legislators and Executive Branch officials. Serves as a strategist for the city and advocates with legislators and agency officials. ACTIVE 724621239v3 Implements established work plans to accomplish the City's goals. Arranges and attends meetings with the city, as appropriate Sergio Associate Maintains contact with legislators,with a focus on Cavazos senior staff. Provides knowledge of legislative committee processes, actions, and rules. Provides legal research and drafts bills and amendments. Attend meetings with clients and represent the client at meetings, as appropriate. Manages the flow of information to the client regarding legislation, meetings, and related matters ACTIVE 724621239v3