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San Simeon directors refuse to pay attorney, want to see bills

September 21, 2022

Legal counsel Jeffrey Minnery

By KAREN VELIE

At a San Simeon Community Services District meeting on Tuesday, the directors voted unanimously not to pay their attorney firm because attorney Jeffrey Minnery is refusing to provide them unredacted bills.

During the past two monthly meetings, the San Simeon board voted not to pay the legal form of Adamski Moroski Madden Cumberland & Green until they provide unredacted bills to board members. In explaining his reluctance, Minnery voiced concerns the bills would be leaked to members of the community.

Minnery is the attorney for 11 districts, and in the past members of the public have asked to review unredacted bills, a request Minnery has denied.

For a district of only 550 residents, the legal bills appear exorbitant. In July, with the district battling several legal threats, the bill was $11,655.

In comparison, San Miguel, a community of 2,536 residents allows all board members to review unredacted attorney bills. In July, with San Miguel also battling several legal threats, the bill was $10,287.

In the past, an attorney for Los Osos Community Services District was terminated after it was discovered he was padding his bills, according to former director Julie Tacker. For example, the former Los Osos CSD attorney almost double the hours he spent at a meeting in his bill.

“The directors are the fiduciaries for the community, and just like checking your grocery store receipt, they need to be able to see the legal invoices to make sure they are not overcharged,” Tacker said.


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Wherever and Whoever Minnery represents is a disaster. Just look up the entities he has represented and they are in major legal problems with huge legal bills. The more legal problems he can create the more billable hours. Just compare his bills to previous legal counsel for the District when there were no problems or compare it to other comparable entities. Time to get an ethical attorney that will properly represent the district.


13

Minnery is also legal counsel to Port San Luis where there have been multiple

Brown act violations under his watch and harassment of District employees by elected officials Bob Vessely and Mary Matakovich with little recourse – also under Minnerys watch. Perhaps it is time to make a change with your legal counsel.


23

One example. Check also Integrated Waste Management and Oceano. He is a train wreak whereever he goes..


11

Adding insult to injury, District Counsel Minnery allowed the contractor general manager and his employees full unredacted access to the legal bills. This was full access while the general manager was under investigation by the DA and FPPC and while the GM was simultaneously threatening litigation against the district for his legal fees.


Not only did District Counsel Minnery block a director from seeing the unredacted legal bills, but this same general manager also denied legal bill access to a director.


This is not right.


35

The more problem he creates the more he can bill.


10

Nonsense show the goods or don’t get paid.


21

The San Simeon board should NOT pay this attorney OR his firm until a full itemized bill is submitted and reviewed. There is no reason the citizenry, who will be funding his fees, should not have access to his billing.


37

go get them Julie. Cambria awaits you Julie thanks for the cure and correct notice submitted


32

You know how you can tell its a cold day in San Simeon?


The attorney has his hands in his pockets.


3

“You know how you can tell it’s a cold day in San Simeon?


The attorney has his hands in his OWN pockets!”


When one word makes a big difference. FTFY


0

The entitlement of high payed individuals always astounds me! Probably trying to include things like driving, eating, and his own personal bills in the fees. Things us “plebeians” are expected to pay for ourselves!


9

How is this even being requested? Taxpayer money and he wants zero oversight? Trust me, it’s all legit fees?


If nothing is suspect, as Minnery claims, open the books.


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