The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council is adding new attorney fees to its bills after deciding to move forward with hiring one to represent them in negotiating the exit of their town manager.
At a special meeting on Tuesday, April 28, the council chose Johneeka Simpson from the law firm GrayRobinson to lead the negotiations.
“I have a refreshing approach when handling disputes while representing both employers and employees in a wide range of labor and employment disputes, which gives me a pretty balanced perspective on the issues before the town today,” Simpson said at the April 28 meeting.
Earlier in the month, council members placed Town Manager Francine Ramaglia on paid administrative leave. Shortly before that decision, Ramaglia gave formal notice of her retirement upon the conclusion of her contract in September.
Town staff brought in three prospective special counsel options for consideration at a meeting April 21.
Since that meeting, council members have individually met with the three prospective attorneys. The estimated cost for hiring one of them to negotiate Ramaglia’s exit would be about $5,000 to $10,000. An investigation into the former manager’s performance or conduct could cost even more, plus any potential litigation on the matter.
“What stood out to me in this process was that Ms. Simpson had already done her work,” Vice Mayor Manish Sood said. “She had reviewed the full employment agreement, she had begun thinking through a negotiation strategy, and she had clearly invested time in understanding the specifics of our town situation.”
Without outside counsel, the town could have continued to pay Ramaglia while she is on leave until the expiration of her contract. However, doing so could open the door to a lawsuit over wrongful termination. Yet, terminating Ramaglia without cause would require paying her more than $61,000 in severance and any unused paid time off.
Councilwoman Anita Kane and Councilman Paul Coleman opposed hiring outside counsel. They pointed out how doing so would cost the town thousands of dollars, and there are cheaper ways to move forward.
“I was really looking at not engaging with an attorney firm at all and just going with… taking a vote tonight to terminate without cause and get a release from [Ramaglia],” Kane said. “I think that’s the most prudent option for the town. I think it allows everyone to walk with some dignity.”
Former Councilman Todd McLendon, who spent much of his time on the dais emphasizing cost savings, gave public comment and agreed that hiring an attorney would not be worth it.
“Whenever you get attorneys involved, there’s always one winner: it’s the attorney,” he said. “Whenever you have the opportunity to not engage with an attorney, you’re saving money.”
Despite those concerns, the council voted to hire Simpson 3-2, with Kane and Coleman dissenting.
Mayor Lisa El-Ramey then proposed a motion for Acting Town Manager Valerie Oaks to accept a negotiated settlement proposal from Ramaglia no later than May 8. If one is not received by then, an investigation will be conducted.
The motion faced resistance from some on the council. They argued that the investigation would just be another expense that the town would have to pay.
“I see no reason to go into a lengthy investigation that only costs the town taxpayers a significant amount of money, which is an unnecessary expenditure, but also that we have no chance of recouping,” Kane said.
El-Ramey pushed back on this, explaining that the acting town manager has a $10,000 spending cap that would limit the town’s financial burden on the issue.
“I want to show how serious the town is about their position,” she said. “You’re conflating an investigation with the litigation; that is not what’s being proposed here.”
However, El-Ramey was willing to amend her motion to extend the deadline to May 12, and the council will hold another special meeting on the same day on how to move forward. The council passed the motion 3-2, with Kane and Coleman again dissenting.
In other business:
- At the council’s meeting on April 21, it unanimously approved adding $20,000 to Oaks’ $137,812 annual salary because of her new position. The $20,000 would be paid out over the next six months.
- It was also announced that the intersection at F Road and Collecting Canal Road will be closed due to the replacement of a culvert pipe from May 4 through May 25.
