The new year for Westminster city government will begin with new municipal attorneys for the first time in 30 years.
At the first meeting of the Westminster mayor and Common Council for 2010, the city announced the appointment of Elissa Levan and Karen Plumer Ruff to take the place of Westminster city attorney John Walsh who retired last December after serving the city for over 30 years.
In the meeting the council voted to authorize the Westminster mayor Kevin Utz to execute a letter of engagement, dated December 23, with the law firm of Funk & Bolton, with offices in Baltimore, Annapolis, and Chestertown, to represent the town.
A city press release, noted that the process for finding a new attorney began last November. Westminster council president Damian Halstad said that the city had sent out a request for proposals for legal services and received six responses. “We interviewed all of them and it was really, I think, an impressive crew. I think we hired – um … we made an excellent choice,” said Halstad.
Halstad introduced both attorneys who were in attendance for the council meeting. “We welcome them and look forward to a long relationship because we sure don’t like interviewing lawyers. The last one we kept for what, 30 years. So ah, that would make me 78, when they retire, and that would be fine.”
Councilman Greg Pecoraro responded when Halstad asked if there were any questions by saying “… it was a very good process as you mentioned. I was pleased that everyone was able to participate. I think that we did have a difficult choice to make…”
“It was helpful to go through it for learning. I mean you learn things when you go through the interview process... This firm … and ah, Ms. Levan and Ms. Ruff had read our comprehensive plan. They had a lot of good questions for us. And they just knew - I think they knew the most about the city. And that goes a long way towards winning over a prospective employer. We were all impressed,” said Halstad.
The firm’s web site notes that “Funk & Bolton, P.A. is a Mid-Atlantic-based law firm practicing primarily in five areas: commercial litigation, insurance regulation, government relations, local government law, and creditors' rights.
“We provide counseling, litigation and legislative services to insurers, other financial services companies, health maintenance organizations, managed care organizations, health plans, dental plans, counties, municipalities, businesses, and trade associations.”
According to the city press release, “With eleven attorneys, this firm is the most experienced of its kind, providing representation to numerous municipal corporations, counties, and other public entities in the state of Maryland, including the cities of Bowie, College park, Church Hill, Rock Hall, St. Michaels, Upper Marlboro, and Forest Heights.”
The release explained that Levan will be designated the city attorney and that Ruff will serve to “provide backup representation… Levan will have the overall responsibility of coordinating the legal services to the city.”
Funk & Bolton announced in April 2009 that Levan had “rejoined the firm after a year as a Maryland Assistant Attorney General. Ms. Levan is a member of the Local Government Practice Group in the firm's Baltimore office. With over 20 years of experience, Ms. Levan will resume her practice of counseling Maryland municipalities and public entities.”
Levan’s web site bio indicates that she “has been representing governmental clients since 1992, when, after a few years at other firms, she joined Levan, Schimel, Belman & Abramson, P.A. in Howard County (later, a regional office of Miles & Stockbridge, P.A.)
“Since then, Ms. Levan has provided advice and counsel to a diverse group of Maryland municipalities, including several of the largest jurisdictions in the State, the Cities of Bowie, and College Park, and many smaller towns, such as the Town of Church Hill on the Eastern Shore.
“She has recently been designated as the town attorney for the Town of Chesapeake Beach. She also spent a year in the Office of the Attorney General, representing the twenty-four Maryland sheriffs and their sworn deputies.”
Her bio also indicates she “has also provided general representation to private sector businesses, including several not-for-profit entities, such as the Corridor Transportation Corporation.
“Ms. Levan has been active for many years in the Maryland Municipal Attorney's Association and served, among other capacities, for several years as its liaison to the Maryland Municipal League's Legislative Committee. She has also been a member of the Maryland State Bar Association's Local Government and Administrative Law Sections, for both of which sections she has served on the governing Councils. She is currently completing her term as Chair of the Administrative Law Section (2008-09).
“She is a Fellow of the Maryland Bar Foundation. Ms. Levan was previously a member of the Board of Directors of the Baltimore-Washington Corridor Chamber of Commerce and for several years chaired its Public Affairs Group, which undertook legislative education and advocacy functions for the Chamber.”
Levan is a 1985 graduate, with distinction, from University of Michigan. She was awarded her J.D. from George Washington Law School, where she graduated with honors in 1988.
Ruff’s Funk & Bolton web site bio indicates that she “began her career practicing in the area of zoning and land use law at Zanecki, Lally and McDonough, in Prince George's County, Maryland. In 1989, she joined the Howard County firm of Levan, Schimel, Belman & Abramson, P.A. (later, a regional office of Miles & Stockbridge, P.A.)
“For the past twenty years, Ms. Ruff has provided advice and counsel to a diverse group of Maryland municipalities, including the City of Bowie, the City of College Park, the Town of Church Hill, the Town of Edmonston and the Town of St. Michaels.
“Additionally, from 1998 until 2002, Ms. Ruff was the Assistant City Attorney for the City of Annapolis. Ms. Ruff has also served as counsel to the Annapolis Board of Appeals. Ms. Ruff has been a member of the Maryland Municipal Attorney's Association of the Maryland Municipal League for many years. She has served as President and Secretary. Ms. Ruff is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association and the Anne Arundel County Bar Association.
Ruff earned her J.D from Catholic University of America in 1987, and graduated with a B.A. cum laude, from LaSalle University in 1984.
Halstad later indicated that Funk & Bolton will charge the city a rate of $150.00 per hour which is a slight increase over the $125.00 an hour charged by the previous city attorney.
A review of past court cases and council minutes of other municipalities throughout the state indicates that both attorneys have an extensive background in all aspects of municipal law ranging from zoning and land use law to immigration law enforcement.
After the meeting, the two attorneys then got right to work as the mayor and council convened a closed meeting to discuss property acquisition and emergency response procedures for the city.
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