Letter from former city attorney says Upland needs unbiased aid

UPLAND - A former city attorney says the City Council should hire outside counsel to handle the review of the city manager's contract.

In a letter sent to the City Council and Daily Bulletin, former City Attorney Donald Maroney told the council members they need to hire a different attorney to review Robb Quincey's contract because current City Attorney William Curley signed off on the original contract and many of its amendments.

"And it was this same city attorney who was monitoring the process of conferring those contract enhancements on the city manager in most cases on the highly questionable authority of the mere signature of the mayor without a vote of the city council," Maroney wrote in the letter addressed to Mayor Ray Musser.

Maroney also says the council needs an unbiased source to review the legality of terms in Quincey's contract and the propriety of the posting and approval process for the amendments.

"It is my opinion that much of what is guaranteed to the city manager is non-binding," Maroney said in the letter.

"The council needs to hear an unbiased opinion on this matter and that means bringing in someone other than the current city attorney or a member of his firm to do that review."