Town hires assistant town attorney

Lakewood Ranch attorney R. David Jackson is a familiar face, but only if you’ve been a frequent attendee at the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort bankruptcy hearings in Tampa.

Jackson, who has provided commissioners with email updates of the Colony bankruptcy proceedings for months, will soon become a familiar face around Town Hall, on an as-needed basis.

The Longboat Key Town Commission unanimously approved a consent agenda item at its regular meeting Monday night that allows Town Attorney Maggie Mooney-Portale to name Jackson as the assistant town attorney.

“It certainly won’t feel like a new job,” Jackson said. “It was more of a formality that needed the commission’s approval; I’ll now have the official title and will assume her duties, if necessary. “

Mooney-Portale and Jackson are both lawyers with the Lakewood Ranch-based Persson & Cohen law firm. Jackson joined the firm almost a year ago to assist Mooney-Portale after she was on maternity leave late last year.

Mooney-Portale stressed that Jackson will only be used on an as-needed basis.

“I don’t plan on missing any meetings,” she said. “But it’s good to have someone backing me up whose job is to be familiar with purchasing methods for the town and public works, as well as the rest of the legal services we work with the town on.”

In an email sent to Mayor Jim Brown Monday, Longbeach Village resident Gene Jaleski questioned the move.

“Now, instead of once again looking at retaining a single full-time in-house attorney, you are now willing to spend twice as much as we do already,” Jaleski wrote.

Brown, though, countered in a follow-up email that the move was a formality and doesn’t cost the town any additional legal expenses.

“The town of Longboat Key has always had an assistant town attorney,” Brown said. “It is not an additional attorney but a backup for when Maggie is unavailable or needs assistance.”

The Town Charter states in Article 6 that “the town attorney may appoint qualified assistant town attorneys with the advice and consent of the Town Commission.”

Jackson is a second-generation Manatee County resident who has practiced law in the area since 1999. He has represented both public and private clients in environmental and administrative law in Florida during his career, with a focus on environmental permitting, water use and coastal issues and regulatory compliance matters.

Jackson previously worked as assistant general counsel for the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

“He’s knowledgeable, current and can fulfill my duties when needed,” Mooney-Portale said of Jackson.