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PROPOSAL:

Approve Sabbatical Leave for General Counsel

SYNOPSIS:

General Counsel Peter Greenwald has requested an eight-month sabbatical leave. This action is to approve such leave.

COMMITTEE:

None.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Approve an eight-month sabbatical leave for General Counsel Peter Greenwald without salary or District-paid benefits, except during a period in which Mr. Greenwald uses his accumulated vacation and other paid leave time (approximately four weeks); and extend the Executive Management Agreement with Mr. Greenwald to February 18, 2000 at which time it and the Executive Management Agreements of several other Designated Deputies will be brought to the Board for approval of compensation packages.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

The Executive Management Agreement between the District and General Counsel Peter Greenwald expires January 31, 2000. Mr. Greenwald has indicated a desire to renew his contract for a three-year period, but has requested an eight-month sabbatical leave from AQMD service, effective February 1, 2000. Mr. Greenwald proposes that this sabbatical be unpaid and without continuation of District-paid benefits, except for that period of time during which he will use accrued paid leave time of approximately four weeks.

Peter Greenwald has been in continuous service in the District's Legal Department for 19 years, and has served as Counsel to the Board for the past nine years. During the three years of his current contract, Mr. Greenwald has ably supervised all legal services and representation for the District. Among his accomplishments, Mr. Greenwald played an instrumental role in achieving the recent settlement in the SIP litigation. This settlement will provide a reasonable path to achieving clean air, decrease uncertainty for regulated sources, and is expected to end a series of judicial cases that have extended back over 15 years.

I expect that District Counsel Barbara Baird and District Prosecutor Peter Mieras, in conjunction with outside counsel, could provide for the District's legal needs during such sabbatical. Additional costs, if any, could be offset by the salary and benefit savings that will be realized during Mr. Greenwald's leave.

Proposal

Extend Mr. Greenwald's current contract to February 18, 2000, at which time the Board will be considering renewal of this and other Designated Deputy contracts expiring in 2000. Authorize the General Counsel to take an eight-month sabbatical leave from AQMD service, beginning February 1, 2000, with the use of accrued paid leave time, and when that leave time is used, to continue the sabbatical leave at no compensation.

Attachments

None

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