236853 .
ORIGINAL TO CI�Y CLERK° � 2��(V� ■.1
� CITY OF ST. PAUL FoENCi� N0. " "'
FFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
. �� CO CIL RESOLUTION—GENERAL FORM
PRESENTED BY
COMMISSIONE s R • E
,
a . - �
� � �
RESOLVED, That pursuant to Section 178 of the Charter,
the Corporation Counsel is hereby authorized to employ as special
counsel Mx. David Berger, of the law firm of Cohen, Shapiro,
Berger, Polisher and Cohen, for the purpose of prosecuting
antitrust litigation involving a eonspiracy to fix prices in
the sale of copper water tubing and piping to the Gity of Saint
Paul, such services to be performed at a maximum compensation
not to exceed twenty—five per cent (25%) of the moneys recovered,
if any, in sueh litigation, after deduet�ing expenses of suit,
together with such other terme and conditions as the Corporation
Coun.sel may determine.
FORM APPROVED
� �___.ao_ t ��,.� -
Asst. Corporatio� ounsei
:^�
� °
��� � i� �V V$
COUNCILMEN Adopted by the Council 19.—
Yeas Nays 'li�����(r:' � ," ����
Carlson .`'n`' `
..,.,�,g��._.__ pproved 19�
Holland
n Favor
Meredith '
Peterson U MaYor
Tedesco ASainst
Mr. President, Byrne
� I�tf�Ll$�-� ��� � ���� . �
�22
• ' ��� p y
TY 8��.�'�.1
� Ana Cod�612 �.w�t �F 9 PAUL J. KELLY
�23-b121 ^'�� '�x� THOMAS J.STEARNS
JON R. DUCKSTAD
• � :�='�`� � AR?HUR M. NELSON
'�s' ^c JEROME J.SEGAL
THOMAS M. MOONEY
ROBERT E.O'CONNELL JAMES W. KENNEY
F1rst Assistant CITY OF SAINT PAUL GERA OHH.SWANSONCK
DANIEL A.KLAS GORDON C. MOOSBRUGGER
Sp�cial Assi:fant LEGAL DEPARTMENT PAUL F. McCLOSKEY,JR.
316 Cif�y Hall� St. Paul, Mineesota 55102
JOSEPN P. 8UMMERS
Corvoretton Couns�l January `�9, 1968
To the Honorable Mayor and Members
of the Council of the City of Saint Paul
Sirs :
Pursuant to Section 178 of the Charter, I hereby request
authority to retain as special counsel David Berger, Esq. , of
the law firm of Cohen, Shapiro, Berger, Polisher and Cohen, in
order to prosecute antitrust litigation involving a conspiracy
to fix prices in the sale of copper water tubing and piping to
the City of Saint Paul, such services to be performed at a
maximum compensation not to exceed 25% of the moneys recovered,
if any, in such litigation, after deducting expenses of suit.
This request is made because the state in which the lawsuit
is pending requires appearance of local counsel, and because the
nature of the litigation requires expert advice and assistance.
Sincerely,
� � r/l�y
� OSE H P. ERS
Corporation Counsel
mlp
�
s ;
M . �
, CITY OF SAINT PAUL ,����� f
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES �'�.�
216 City Hall and Court House 55102
PHONE: 223-4747
BERNARD T. HOLLAND
Commissioner of Public Utilities
and
Preaident,Board of Water Commissionere
WILLIAM W. ROONEY
Depnty Commiseioner
January 29, 1968
To Mayor Thamas Byrne and
Members of the City Council
There is now pendir�g in Federal Court for the Eastern District
of Pennsylvania a lawsuit accusing the nation's largest producers of
copper water tubing and piping of conspiring to fix prices. This
material is used in our Water Department.
The conspiracy is alleged to have existed fram 1956 to 1962.
In my jud gnent, the City should intervene in this litigation,
since we purchased $i50,000 worth of copper tubing and piping during
the period in question and were presumably victimized by any conspiracy
which existed.
We are entitled to recover three times our actual damag es, which
means a possibility of recovering as much as $30,000 f or the City at
the conclusion of litigation.
In view of the fact Pennsylvania requires local counsel in all
litigation in that state, it is necessary that we retain a Pennsylvania
lawyer to work with the Corporation Counsel on the matter. Mr. David
Berger of Philadelphia, a specialist in Plaintiff's antitrust work,
will represent Saint Paul for a fee of 25% of the moneys recovered, plus
expenses, and the Corporation Counsel advises me that since Mr. Berger
represents numerous other municipalities, our share of expenses should be
extremely low.
This suit is part of our program to protect the taxpayers in
insuring that bidding is f air andequitable, and that they get the most
for their money. Unless the City vigorously pursues every company sus-
pected of price-fixing or bid rigging we stand to lose many, if not most,
of the benefits of the competitive bidding system. .
� ao
`:
. . .
-2-
I introduce herewith a resolution directing the Corporation Counsel
to proceed to intervene in this matter and authorizing the retention of
Mr. Berger on the basis mentioned above, and urgently request your favor-
able consideration.
Sincerely,
,�� �� !
f�'�Z� ���'�ccl�
� Bernard T. Holland
Commissioner of Public Utilities
BTH:hn
: i ,
. o�.`„�►t`�.��«T`R CITY OF ST. PAUL couwca �t����
' OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK F�� NO
. � �,,:��,�.,,.,:� COUNCIL RESOLUTION—GENERAL FORM � .::�;>
PR�iN7ED�Y � �'� � ��� � �M���re
COMMtSSiONE� �
�
.. �'�� ��'i ���'� �O ���� �'J� #�" � ���#
�i�4 �`#�1"p�l�'1� Ci���� '3�,�+��' �M'1��a+/� ��1 l��►+A� i� ��,�
, - ;
�It2 Iat. �� l+��t1�,� ��' #� lst�t !� +�t i��+�� �t;��
, .,
:. . ,
� !��'',� ,�'�1r���' �L �lta�t� #�t #� tt�ilr�lr �i� �e�tt� � '
+r�+��� 1#�i�s�#+r�t ��rlr�rf� a► �rae�r #�� ��t �i�s #�
�� .��► �' +��+fr �nt��►r i�i� � �#��i t+o �i► �il� �' Wti�t�
l�,� �t +�+�ts�►io+� ts� h� *s�� �t s �ssi�t ��'���t
�� � �� �t�•iirts � a�� ��3i�� �� �• �qrr �+��
i�.�` �'s i�t �u4�► li�##���.ou, a��' irrduet#a; a�y�r►�► �►� �t,
t�rl►�lr�q� x��r �t� atLu�ar tar�s asd +rl�aew�#��i+r�a�r s+r► #�r ���il�r�s��.s�t �
: �1 �► �bir�x�f�.�q�.
JAN 3 0196�
COUNCILMEN . Adopted by the Councii 19_
Yeas Nays
Carlson .�AN 3 4 196$
'iJfii$'l�alr�... A�proved 19.— :
Holland Tn Favor
�eredith�
Peterson � �y°!'
. Tedesco . A��t , .
Mr. President, Byrne
,•�,„�