AGENDA INFORMATION SHEET
DEPARTMENT: Materials Management
ACM: Bryan Langley
AGENDA DATE: September 13, 2016
SUBJECT
Title
Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, Texas authorizing the City Manager to execute a Professional Legal Services Agreement with the law firm of Baker Moran Doggett Ma & Dobbs LLP, Plano, Texas for professional legal services regarding condemnation matters related to the Mayhill Road Widening and Improvements Project; providing for the expenditure of funds therefor; and providing an effective date (File 5326-awarded to Baker Moran Doggett Ma & Dobbs LLP in the not-to-exceed amount of $700,000).
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BACKGROUND
The City of Denton is in the process of prosecuting outstanding condemnation cases involving the land rights sought for the Mayhill Road Widening and Improvements project. The geographical limits of the project are U.S. Highway 380 south to Interstate Highway 35 East (the "Project"). Of the 44 land tracts affected by the Project, the amount of just compensation remains to be determined regarding two (2) landowners- 551 Mayhill Joint Venture and RTS & M, LLC. Special Commissioner's hearings were carried out for both landowners, monetary awards were deposited in the registry of the Court for each, and the City now has possession of the necessary land rights tracts. The respective landowners have filed objections with the Court seeking jury trails for determinations of damages, which are tentatively scheduled for the first quarter of 2017.
On April 2, 2013, the firm of Burford & Ryburn was engaged by the City to perform the eminent domain litigation associated with the Project (Exhibit 1). Scott Doggett and Preston Dobbs, partners of that firm, provided the majority of the outside counsel work necessary to achieve settlements across the Project, as needed.
In April of 2015, Mr. Doggett and Mr. Dobbs left the firm of Burford & Ryburn and are now both employed with, and partners of, Baker Moran Doggett Ma ...
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