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So what I am saying is that other than the <br /> amendment suggested to Section 5-2.4 that the existing <br /> language remain. <br /> MR. TRULSON: You state you feel that the <br /> corporation counsel should have the final say in any litigation <br /> matter and also you feel that the County Council should have <br /> the power to select their own attorney. Now suppose the County <br /> Council does this. They have an attorney who voices an opinion <br /> onssa particular matter. Then what you are saying then is that <br /> the corporation counsel should supersede that. <br /> MR. BESS : That is correct. <br /> MR. TRULSON: What would be the reason for the <br /> council then having that attorney? <br /> MR. BESS : Well , I think there are a number of <br /> legal questions that arise where the council may feel much more <br /> comfortable in requesting a legal opinion from a staff attorney <br /> rather than fromour office. I think what we have here is. . . <br /> what is happening here in the county is typical of what is <br /> happening in our society is this that increasingly we are <br /> looking tolawyers, we are looking to courts to solve what may <br /> be political problems , social problems , sometimes psychological <br /> problems and as such the corporation counsel potentially has a <br /> a tremendous amount of power. When you run into a difficult <br /> or a hot political issue sometimes it is much easier to try to <br /> turn that problem into a legal problem to get the monkey off <br /> of the back of the council . . .I don ' t mean to single out the <br /> council , any agency. . .where the public is screaming at you and <br /> it is very difficult to make a decision that is going to satisfy <br /> all of the members of the public, you oftentimes turn the <br /> problem over t`othe corporation counsel . <br /> I think that the existing Charter notices that <br /> point that the corporation counsel is an extremely or can be <br /> extremely powerful and that is why I think there is the confirm- <br /> ation powersin here so that you don ' t have a corporation counsel <br /> that looks as if he is the mayor' s attorney. That the <br /> corporation counsel is indeed representing the entity, the <br /> municipal corporation rather than the mayor or rather than the <br /> council . <br /> My position is a very difficult one because <br /> having lived through the position for a year and ahalf, two <br /> years in what has to be described as a highly politicized <br /> situation , I would like nothing more than to have one master. <br /> But I think in terms of what is best for the county, I think it <br /> is best to have just one legal advisor and let him lose sleep. <br /> MR. CADINHA: Mr. Bess, your analogy with <br /> Xerox or a public corporation is interesting. There is one <br /> difference though. In a public corporation, the board of <br /> directors represent the stockholders interests and they can <br /> can the president any time they wish. Under our system, right <br /> now, the council has no ability unless the guy is completely <br /> way out in right field. No ability to get rid of the mayor. <br /> Now, in the interests of your job only. Would your job be <br /> -28- <br />