12/15/2009 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 12-15-2009 legal staff in my Department was for me much like the proverbial herding of cats. I never quite succeeded in the past, and I apologize to all of you if members of my Department did not serve you as well as you and I would have like them to have. The responsibility for those shortcomings lies not with them, but completely with me as the elected official in charge of the Department. And, it is also appropriate at this point of my report that I thank all of those who have served with me in the Law Department over the past eight years- the lawyers, law clerks and the department's secretary -all who have made invaluable contributions to the Law Department's mission over those past eight years. I especially want to single out Assistant Law Director, Bryan O'Malley, and Law Department Secretary Vicki Flash, far their tireless efforts working in the Department on a full time basis over these past eight years. And, also to Mike Gordllo and Carole Heyward for the special expertise they brought to the Law Department in the areas of criminal prosecutions and fair housing administration. Finally, I want to once again thank Mike Gareau Sr. for giving me my start in North Olmsted city government, for his legal guidance and legal training over the years, and for allowing me to serve these two terms as Law Director without doing a Dick Cheney on me. I know that there were many things I did as Law Director the past eight years that must have raised Mike Sr.'s blood pressure at least a few points, but he never publicly criticized anything I did, and did not in any way interfere with my opportunity to serve in the office to the best of my ability. I assure you, Mike Jr., that I will follow yaur father's example and not do anything in the future that will interfere with your opportunity to serve the City as Law Director in the manner and way that you best see fit. As I said at the first Council meeting following your election last month, I've known you since you were a teenager, and I've seen you grow into a fine man, an excellent lawyer, and a good and decent member of this eamrnunity. The North Olmsted Law Department will be in very good hands with you at its helm on January l . Mayor O'Grady said he wants to be on record disagreeing with the need for and with the accuracy of any self criticism that was contained in the comments of the Law Director. He was an outstanding Law Director and it was his honor to serve with him. He thanked Law Director Dubelko for what he has done. Councilman Gareau thanked Law Director Dubelko for his kind words. He said Mr. Dubelko was an attorney who started with the city showing others how to practice law and how to see the passion with belief, with conviction, with principles, and with professionalism. He said Mr. Dubelko served the city nobly, and he believes that he has much to be proud of and he wishes him the best in his upcoming retirement. Finance Director Copfer wished Mayor O'Grady and Law Director Dubelko the best in their retirement. She wished everyone a Merry Christmas Councilman Gareau read his resignation letter, which has been incorporated into these minutes. This is a letter dated December 15, 2009 to Marie Gallo, Clerk of Council. 7 ~~~ ~~~ .