From:	DeFoor, Randle
Sent:	Tuesday, September 24, 2019 9:56 PM
To:	Gabriel, Jason
Cc:	Rondinelli, Mellissa; CM; SS; CAUDIT; Brown, Cheryl; Sidman Martin, 
Margaret; Johnston, Paige; Durden, Stephen; Hodges, Lawsikia
Subject:	Re: Memo re Ex Parte (a/k/a Cone of Silence) Guidelines; JEA Invitation to 
Negotiate

Thank you Mr. Gabriel- I think we should meet and discuss as I don’t agree.

Randy
Sent from my iPhone
 
On Sep 24, 2019, at 7:30 PM, Gabriel, Jason <JGabriel@coj.net> wrote:
Dear CM DeFoor – 
 
As stated in the memo I sent, on the third page, “The engagement letter is also where 
approval by the General Counsel is made thereby satisfying the written certification 
required by the Charter as to the necessity of the legal service.” Each of our engagement 
letters, JEA or otherwise, contains this sign-off. 
 
As to Charter Section 7.01, it applies to all City engagements of outside private counsel. 
The Charter makes no distinction whether outside private counsel is for Council or the 
Mayor. The Charter requires that the GC certify the necessity for outside private counsel 
for any officer or agency of the City, and as stated above, this is satisfied by virtue of 
signing and approving the engagement letter which we have developed and included in 
the memo for reference.
 
I’m happy to call and discuss this further with you at your convenience.
 
Thanks, Jason G. 
 
From: DeFoor, Randle  
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2019 3:06 PM 
To: Rondinelli, Mellissa; CM; SS; CAUDIT; Brown, Cheryl 
Cc: Gabriel, Jason; Sidman Martin, Margaret; Johnston, Paige; Durden, Stephen; 
Hodges, Lawsikia 
Subject: RE: Memo re Ex Parte (a/k/a Cone of Silence) Guidelines; JEA Invitation to 
Negotiate
 
Please City Council Members do not reply to this E-mail in any form or fashion.
 
Dear Mr. Gabriel- Section 7.01 of the Charter specifically states that there is established 
an  office of the City of Jacksonville to be known as the office of general counsel, which 
shall have the responsibility for furnishing legal services to the city and its independent 
agencies, except that the council may create an office or legislative counsel within the 
legislative branch whose purpose shall be to advise and assist the counsel and its 
committees and member in the achievement of a clear, faithful and  coherent 
expression of legislative policies and to perform such other related duties…
 
The office of legislative counsel has already been created in Chapter 14 of the Ordinance 
Code and these duties have been defined in Chapter 14.103. The only limitation on the 
scope of services of such counsel to be hired is that the subject matter must be related 
to something that will be acted on by Council. Clearly, this would include the JEA.
 
Thus,  the provisions of 7.01 that the general counsel must certify in the writing the 
necessity of outside counsel only pertains to entities other than City Council like the 
independent authorities. It appears that the JEA has hired numerous outside counsel in 
connection with the ITN. Have you certified the necessity of all of these counsel and if so 
please provide your written findings of necessity for each counsel that has been hired by 
the JEA. 
 
Regards, 
 
Randy DeFoor
 
 
 
From: Rondinelli, Mellissa  
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2019 12:55 PM 
To: CM; SS; CAUDIT; Brown, Cheryl 
Cc: Gabriel, Jason; Sidman Martin, Margaret; Johnston, Paige; Durden, Stephen; 
Hodges, Lawsikia 
Subject: Memo re Ex Parte (a/k/a Cone of Silence) Guidelines; JEA Invitation to 
Negotiate
 
Dear Honorable Council Members:
 
Attached is a memo from the General Counsel regarding Ex Parte (a/k/a Cone of 
Silence) Guidelines related to the JEA ITN process as requested at the Special 
Meeting held on September 16, 2019.  Please do not hesitate to contact Jason 
individually with any questions you may have.
 
Thank you,
 
Mellissa A. Rondinelli  
Office Administrator
Executive Assistant to Jason R. Gabriel, General Counsel
Office of General Counsel - City of Jacksonville  
117 W. Duval Street, Ste. 480  
Jacksonville, FL  32202  
904-255-5051  
904-630-1731 (facsimile)  
mrondinelli@coj.net