On July 7, the City Council approved a separation agreement with City Administrator Michael Guttman, appointed interim leadership, and hired a law firm—at least for the next 31 days.

But the city’s legal battles are far from over. We unpack the latest developments in the Bond law firm saga, including withheld payments, legal threats, and competing interpretations of power and process. Plus: What’s next for the third-party city administrator search, and why one council member says delay is the real tactic at play.

Includes commentary from Marcus Brown, Jeff Jacobson, and Ald. Matthew Myers.

Topics:

• Guttman’s soft landing and $60K payout
• Initial confusion over who represents the city legally (and finally, a resolution)
• Interim appointments and hiring updates
• Lawsuit concerns and political maneuvering
• Public trust, transparency, and what comes next

“When people hear updates along the line of a decision making process—you’re allowed to change your mind. That’s okay. The public being able to get a window into the process of what’s going on in an alderman’s thinking is going to build trust. Right now it’s just the black box feeling. This is a really opaque group of people and nobody can really get in their brains.”

—Liuan

CORRECTIONS:

Jeff Jacobsen has not defended the Boveys in their greenhouse lawsuit since January.

(By the way, did you know the Boveys never sued the city? It was the other way around—and the City Council could vote to drop it at any time if they so chose)

Liuan's Excellent Live Notes:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/18dRsM7ssiTuOYAdPz1sdgxgW4_nwry18zTOCYRR9dhg/edit?usp=sharing

This show is not affiliated with the city or any entity.

Next episode: What does a township do?

Next City Council Meeting: Monday, July 21 at 7pm

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