TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: A. Jerome Fletcher II, ICMA-CM, MPA, City Manager
TITLE: Discussion and Possible Action for a Compensation Increase for the City Attorney Achieving Distinction as a Board Certified City, County, and Local Government Lawyer by the Florida Bar, as Required in the City Attorney Employment Agreement
Recommended Action
Pursuant to Section 6 of the City Attorney Employment Agreement, increase the City Attorney’s compensation by no less than five percent (5%) and no more than ten percent (10%) of her base salary, effective August 1, 2022
Background Information
A. Employment Contract Provisions
The City and Amber Slayton entered into the City Attorney Employment Agreement, effective September 7, 2017.
Section 12 of the agreement requires Ms. Slayton to “obtain Florida Bar Board Certification in the area of City, County and Local Government law” no later than September 7, 2023.
Section 6 of the agreement provides in relevant part:
…Upon timely obtaining Florida Bar Board Certification in the area of City, County and Local Government Law in accordance with Section 12 herein, Ms. Slayton shall receive a compensation increase of no less than five percent (5%) and no more than ten percent (10%) of her then-current base salary. Said increase shall be in addition to any annual review and raise that year, which shall be determined without consideration of the increase granted in conjunction with such certification…
B. Board Certification
Effective August 1, 2022, Ms. Slayton achieved distinction as a Board Certified City, County and Local Government Lawyer by the Florida Bar. Only 311 out of the state’s 107,000+ licensed attorneys bear this distinction for city, county, and local government law. According to the Florida Bar, board certified lawyers are “evaluated for professionalism and tested for expertise.”
The certification process includes: (1) a requisite amount of experience; (2) extensive education in local government law; (3) peer review of numerous lawyers who verify the applicant’s character, ethics, and reputation for professionalism; and (4) a full day of written testing in numerous subjects, including home rule, taxation, constitutional law, civil rights, employment law, sovereign immunity, procurement, bonds and public finance, eminent domain, land use, ethics, professional responsibility, Sunshine Law, and public records.
Maintaining this certification requires a high level of ongoing continuing education in this area of law, as well as additional peer review every five years.
Strategic Plan
Good governance
Financial Impact
Any compensation increase will be paid out of funds budgeted for the City Attorney’s Office.
Procurement
n/a
Attachments:
1. Florida Bar Correspondence
2. Florida Bar Member Profile
Prepared by: Amber L. Slayton, B.C.S., City Attorney
Department Director: Amber L. Slayton, B.C.S., City Attorney