I want to commend Monica Zoltanski's efforts to increase transparency and accountability to the citizens of Sandy. From improving notification for zoning/development actions to campaign financing issues, I feel she listens to her constituents, and fights for our concerns. I was concerned to hear that our City Council is paying $60000.00 a year from MY tax dollars for their own attorney, when our budget is so tight, especially when those very council members wanted to reduce pay for our first responders. This is not to criciticize or defame any attorney or firm (I don't even know who the attorney is, and don't recall that information being communicated publicly.) It seems excessive, especially if we don't know what that attorney is doing for us. Having worked with many attorneys in the past as a client, I always expected (and received) an itemized accounting of what the attorney did with their time. Since our City Council has contracted with an attorney for a flat fee, it would still be helpful to know what that covers, and why they feel that it isn't necessary for the taxpayers to understand. If they didn't want us to know about it at all, that's an even bigger concern.
We have been Sandy residents and home owners for seven years. I do not agree with the Council hiring outside counsel when there is a perfectly good attorney employed by Sandy City. I used to work for a top-ten law firm in New York City and do not believe that flat rate, with no transparent billable hours, is appropriate for any city council. For all I know the Council can use the attorney to push legal limits on ousting the Mayor. In addition, how can they justify $60,000? I’ve worked with plenty of lawyers and know flat fees are not typical in this situation. I’m glad my District 4 representative is looking into this closer. If the Council approved a contract with that high dollar amount and with zero accountability, then the Council needs to fix it. Immediately. Terminate the contract, use the attorney who works for Sandy City.
The last time I interacted with the Sandy Council was five years ago under much more favorable circumstances. It was with great appreciation that I met with the Council in March 2016 to receive an award recognizing my contribution in completing the beautiful new Mount Jordan Middle School in Sandy. Thank you again so much for that honor.
Unfortunately, it is with sadness that I submit comment today. Specifically, I wish to comment on the actions of one of your Council Members, who is engaging in a troubling pattern of defaming others. I point to both her public comments made at council meetings, as well as her extensive public Facebook posts that target individuals, including me.
For the past few years, I have worked as the communications coordinator and exec assistant for the Cowdell & Woolley law firm, whom she has criticized publicly and extensively. In fact, I prepared the invoices that she has posted to her public Facebook page for all to see and criticize. One commenter to that post even said, “As a Project Manager if I flat feed my clients and didn’t break down my work or tasks completed I’d be fired.”
Is that what Council Member Zoltanski is trying to do, get someone fired? There is certainly no question that her public targeting of the firm I work for has the effect of damaging reputation and livelihood.
I prepare about 50 invoices for Cowdell & Woolley a month, many of them under flat-fee contracts. The invoice that I prepared for Sandy City is outlined in contract that was approved by this body. It is not unusual, and at no other time have I ever faced ridicule like this over the formatting of an invoice I prepared.
Ms. Zoltanski may think she is targeting one individual as a way to advance her own political career (I note that she announced her candidacy for mayor the day after her defamatory Facebook posts), but the law firm I work for is made up of 21 people. By publicly targeting the firm, she is impacting the reputations of 21 individuals.
In addressing this matter, I would ask that Ms. Zoltanski take down her social media posts and refrain from further targeting of the Cowdell & Woolley firm. I would also ask that the Council consider imposing a formal censure of these tactics. It is my hope that the City Council will work together instead of against one another, and that undermining tactics such as this will be shunned and avoided. Certainly, accusations of "malfeasance" should never, never be flippantly tossed around.
I want to commend Monica Zoltanski's efforts to increase transparency and accountability to the citizens of Sandy. From improving notification for zoning/development actions to campaign financing issues, I feel she listens to her constituents, and fights for our concerns. I was concerned to hear that our City Council is paying $60000.00 a year from MY tax dollars for their own attorney, when our budget is so tight, especially when those very council members wanted to reduce pay for our first responders. This is not to criciticize or defame any attorney or firm (I don't even know who the attorney is, and don't recall that information being communicated publicly.) It seems excessive, especially if we don't know what that attorney is doing for us. Having worked with many attorneys in the past as a client, I always expected (and received) an itemized accounting of what the attorney did with their time. Since our City Council has contracted with an attorney for a flat fee, it would still be helpful to know what that covers, and why they feel that it isn't necessary for the taxpayers to understand. If they didn't want us to know about it at all, that's an even bigger concern.
We have been Sandy residents and home owners for seven years. I do not agree with the Council hiring outside counsel when there is a perfectly good attorney employed by Sandy City. I used to work for a top-ten law firm in New York City and do not believe that flat rate, with no transparent billable hours, is appropriate for any city council. For all I know the Council can use the attorney to push legal limits on ousting the Mayor. In addition, how can they justify $60,000? I’ve worked with plenty of lawyers and know flat fees are not typical in this situation. I’m glad my District 4 representative is looking into this closer. If the Council approved a contract with that high dollar amount and with zero accountability, then the Council needs to fix it. Immediately. Terminate the contract, use the attorney who works for Sandy City.
The last time I interacted with the Sandy Council was five years ago under much more favorable circumstances. It was with great appreciation that I met with the Council in March 2016 to receive an award recognizing my contribution in completing the beautiful new Mount Jordan Middle School in Sandy. Thank you again so much for that honor.
Unfortunately, it is with sadness that I submit comment today. Specifically, I wish to comment on the actions of one of your Council Members, who is engaging in a troubling pattern of defaming others. I point to both her public comments made at council meetings, as well as her extensive public Facebook posts that target individuals, including me.
For the past few years, I have worked as the communications coordinator and exec assistant for the Cowdell & Woolley law firm, whom she has criticized publicly and extensively. In fact, I prepared the invoices that she has posted to her public Facebook page for all to see and criticize. One commenter to that post even said, “As a Project Manager if I flat feed my clients and didn’t break down my work or tasks completed I’d be fired.”
Is that what Council Member Zoltanski is trying to do, get someone fired? There is certainly no question that her public targeting of the firm I work for has the effect of damaging reputation and livelihood.
I prepare about 50 invoices for Cowdell & Woolley a month, many of them under flat-fee contracts. The invoice that I prepared for Sandy City is outlined in contract that was approved by this body. It is not unusual, and at no other time have I ever faced ridicule like this over the formatting of an invoice I prepared.
Ms. Zoltanski may think she is targeting one individual as a way to advance her own political career (I note that she announced her candidacy for mayor the day after her defamatory Facebook posts), but the law firm I work for is made up of 21 people. By publicly targeting the firm, she is impacting the reputations of 21 individuals.
In addressing this matter, I would ask that Ms. Zoltanski take down her social media posts and refrain from further targeting of the Cowdell & Woolley firm. I would also ask that the Council consider imposing a formal censure of these tactics. It is my hope that the City Council will work together instead of against one another, and that undermining tactics such as this will be shunned and avoided. Certainly, accusations of "malfeasance" should never, never be flippantly tossed around.