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Discover the Legal Department's accomplishments, services impact, revenues generated, budget highlights, and objectives for FY2020. Explore major achievements in contracts, real estate, litigation, and more. Get insights into budgets, expenditures, and upcoming legal service demands.
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Legal DepartmentFY2020 Proposed Budget Presentation May 9, 2019
Department Programming/Accomplishments • Major Services and Impact • Contracts - Successfully negotiated multiple contracts valued at several hundred million dollars for design and construction at IAH and a design-build infrastructure spaceport project at Ellington Field. • Real Estate – Generated revenues of over $14 million for the General Fund by closing on a property co-owned by the City and Harris County. • General Counsel – Updated HFD EMS fees and billing procedures ordinances resulting in estimated revenue of $1 million annually. • Claims and Subrogation – Legal advocacy resulted in no payments on approximately 75% of claims filed against the City.
Department Programming/Accomplishments • Major Services and Impact • General Litigation – Successfully represented the City in protecting same-sex couples’ employment benefits of employees. • Neighborhood Services –Addressed neighborhood blight and/or dangerous conditions for over 180 buildings. • OIG – Investigated over 300 cases and facilitated numerous trainings in an effort to decrease the number of necessary investigations. • Labor, Employment and Civil Rights- Provided counsel on implementation of Proposition B. • Disaster Recovery – Provided counsel facilitating the expedited delivery of home repair dollars to Hurricane Harvey impacted Houstonians.
Department Programming • Anticipated growth in demand for legal services from significant clients, including the Houston Airport System, Houston Public Works, Houston Planning and Development, General Services and Solid Waste Management departments.
FY2020 - Revenues Highlights General Fund revenues are primarily comprised of the recapture of salaries of personnel dedicated to specific departments. 13 FTEs dedicated to Houston Public Works were transferred from Legal’s FY20 budget. Property and Casualty revenues are increasing because expenditures are increasing for legal services.
Revenues By Funds($ in thousands) *Revolving fund revenues, shown on page 7, must match fund expenditures, shown on page 8.
Functional Organizational Chart(in thousands) *The Legal Department’s total budget is $42,297,000; however, not all FTEs are within the department’s budget. The budgeted costs for all FTEs is $47,448,000.
FY2020 Budget Reductions • FY20 budget reductions total $450,739. • The following 3 vacant budgeted positions were eliminated: • First Assistant City Attorney • Senior Paralegal • Legal Investigator
FY2020 - Expenditures Highlights • Insufficient resources in the Legal Department budget for technology needs. • $5,125,000 (12%) of budget is for the engagement of outside counsel. • Reduction due to transferred cost of HPW-work personnel to HPW’s budget totaling $1,496,928.
Department Budget Reductions (in thousands) • 3-year budget reductions • Eight FTEs have been eliminated consisting of four attorneys and four staff.