Montebello’s City Council voted 3-1 at a special meeting Friday to cut ties with Alvarez-Glasman & Colvin, ending the law firm’s 18-year run as the city’s attorney. The decision, announced after a closed session, split the room between residents who cheered the move and others who voiced disappointment that a near two-decade relationship was over.
City Manager Raul Alvarez announced the vote tally but did not name which councilmember cast the lone dissenting vote, according to the Whittier Daily News. Mayor Pro Tem Danielle Romero asked to comment immediately after the announcement but was not allowed to speak, per the same report. Mayor Georgina Tamayo, Romero, Scarlet Peralta and Salvador Melendez were present for the meeting; Ric Alonzo was absent, as reported by sgvtribune.com.
A Notice Posted Just One Day Ahead
The special meeting notice went up on Nov. 5, giving the public just one day’s warning before the vote, the Tribune's report notes. That short turnaround drew attention given the scope of the decision: ending a legal services arrangement that had been in place for 18 years.
Arnold M. Alvarez-Glasman, the firm’s managing partner and a former Montebello city councilmember and mayor who served on the council from 1985 to 1997, said he was blindsided by the timing. “I am saddened by the decision by the City Council majority to end my law firm’s 18-year relationship and representation of the City of Montebello with such short notice,” he said, adding that his firm was proud of its accomplishments and nearly two decades of service to the city, per the same account.
Firm Still Holds Other Local Contracts
Alvarez-Glasman & Colvin is based in the City of Industry and continues to represent Norwalk, Pico Rivera, Lynwood, Commerce and Buena Park, the outlet's report states. The firm also remains general counsel for the Montebello Unified School District even after losing the city contract.
That lingering school district tie became part of the public debate. Alexandra Briseño, a candidate for the 54th Assembly District, raised concerns about the firm’s connection to the school district alongside campaign contributions and political relationships with elected officials, saying the firm had at times acted against the community’s best interests and that Montebello needed a clean start to its legal representation. “Residents deserve confidence that their attorney’s professional judgment serves the public interest. Personal friendships, campaign support, and political loyalties must never influence decisions about retaining legal counsel or spending taxpayer dollars,” she said.
Some Residents Push Back on the Blame
Not everyone welcomed the firm’s exit. Resident Linda Nicholas commended Alvarez-Glasman for his work on behalf of Montebello and said he had sometimes been made “the scapegoat to the decisions that were not his alone.” Nicholas said she believes Alvarez-Glasman had to follow directions from city leaders who may not have had the city’s best interests at heart.
What Happens Next
The council directed staff to launch a formal bidding process for a new city attorney and to return as soon as possible with a recommendation for an interim appointment while that search plays out, according to the Tribune's report. Montebello plans to run a request-for-proposal process while weighing who will fill the role on an interim basis, though the record does not show whether bids have been solicited or an interim pick named yet.
Montebello’s shake-up echoes earlier moves in nearby cities that have also reconsidered their ties to Alvarez-Glasman’s firm. In 2018, then-Pomona Mayor Tim Sandoval called for a review of the city’s contract with the firm, which had served Pomona for 28 years at the time; Alvarez-Glasman said then that he hoped to keep serving the city for years to come. In 2014, West Covina moved to replace the firm after soliciting 23 proposals for the job, ultimately advancing a three-year deal with Jones & Mayer worth $13,125 a month for up to 70 hours of legal service. Alvarez-Glasman & Colvin did not make the interview round in that West Covina search.
