KALAMAZOO, MI — Practically two years after the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners fired its earlier head lawyer, the county has chosen a brand new lawyer to rent.
On Tuesday, Sept. 20, the board of commissioners voted to approve a three-year employment settlement for Angelina Barnes, efficient Oct. 11, as company counsel. The bottom wage for the place is $123,884.80, Kalamazoo County Administrator Kevin Catlin informed MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette.
Barnes is presently an lawyer at Auto Homeowners Insurance coverage, the place she supplies authorized recommendation within the areas of human assets, employment regulation, life insurance coverage, contracts, first- and third-party property harm, and bodily damage claims, Catlin stated.
On this new place, Barnes is tasked with offering authorized recommendation to completely different county departments, and in addition attends fee conferences to reply questions from elected officers and supply different recommendation or enter.
The hiring is “lengthy overdue,” Catlin stated, and he and others on the county are excited to work with Barnes.
In 2019, Kalamazoo County commissioners unanimously voted to fireplace Elizabeth White, who was their company counsel. Within the interim, the county has been represented by an outdoor regulation agency, which suggests completely different attorneys would work collectively as a group to assist symbolize the county and supply authorized providers.
Catlin stated the hiring a substitute for White was a precedence for him as he began his place as administrator earlier this 12 months.
On Nov. 6, 2019, commissioners declined to say why they fired White. Nonetheless, White filed a federal lawsuit that Nov. 13, alleging violations of the Whistleblower’s Safety Act, wrongful discharge, breach of contract and violations of the Open Conferences Act. The county stated the lawsuit had “no benefit.” However after a yearlong negotiation, White settled for $300,000, in keeping with a courtroom doc
Barnes has a wide range of skilled expertise in the private and non-private sectors, Catlin stated.
Catlin stated Barnes beforehand labored for the state of Minnesota as a statewide director of inner management and accountability for the state. He additionally stated she was the manager director of the Minnesota Board of Psychology, and has served as an assistant lawyer basic with the state of Minnesota Workplace of the Legal professional Normal.
“After they employed me, my objective was to offer stability to the group,” stated Catlin, who was employed in March. “For me, having a proactive and steady authorized counsel could be very important to the work that we do right here. I imagine that hiring Angelina, she’ll be capable of present some stability and a few competence in how we pursue our civil litigation right here within the county.”
Six individuals utilized for the place, and the board selected three individuals to interview. One particular person withdrew their title for consideration, and the board interviewed Barnes and one other candidate, Catlin stated.
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