The Chula Vista City Council will hire an interim City Attorney to replace Glen Googins, who was appointed as City Attorney for the Santa Clara City Council earlier this month.
Googins will complete his last day working for the Chula Vista City Council in late February to begin his new job in Silicon Valley on March 1, 2023. He has served as Chula Vista’s City Attorney since 2010 and is now barred by term limits from running for the position. Chula Vista voters elected the late Simon Silva to replace Googins, but Silva passed away in September.
“I’m equally sad about leaving you all and city leadership and all the great things that we have going on here. So, mixed feelings on myself,” Googins said during a Jan.17 City Council meeting.
Googins recommended the City Council hire an outside firm that specializes in Municipal Law. Some of his suggestions include Lousberry Furgeson Altona & Peak; McFougal, Love Boehmer, Foley, Lyons & Mitchell; Burke Williams & Sorensen.
“An individual within that firm will be designated as the acting city attorney during this period. We think this gets you, the city, and city staff the benefit of a truly professional and qualified legal professional in a nonpolitical way, not somebody who's going to run for office—or even could run for office— during the impending election,” Googins said.
“The added benefit of that as well as that it adds resources to you as opposed to reallocating to an existing resource, which we frankly need continuing to do the good work that they're doing already to support city staff and all of you,” He continued.
The city council unanimously agreed to create an ad hoc committee, which will include Mayor John McCann and Councilmember Carolina Chavez, to interview and recommend firms to the City Council for an appointment.
According to Googins, the recommendation could be brought before the City Council by no later than Feb. 21. to avoid service disruption.
