Help with legal-ese requested

G. Jenista · **Posted:** Thu Feb 26, 2004 3:08 pm

Our RR preservation group is cooperating with a city/public agency to develop a railroad museum facility [building to be constructed for artifacts/track to be installed for displays].

We need to develop and implement a formal operating agreement with said agency. Who amongst you out there have identical or very-mearly-similar arrangements between your organization and a public agency? What issues do you address in your operating document[s]?

tvrha2001@yahoo.com

Superheater · **Posted:** Thu Feb 26, 2004 4:32 pm

> We need to develop and implement a formal
> operating agreement with said agency. Who
> amongst you out there have identical or
> very-mearly-similar arrangements between
> your organization and a public agency? What
> issues do you address in your operating
> document[s]?

Be smart, obtain good legal counsel who knows the players and the rules. He who would have a chat board for counsel would be a fool of a client.

Check with local bar association. Your state may require "pro-bono" hours for attorneys- that would be best of all outcomes. Good luck with your endeavor.

superheater@rrmail.com

Scott · **Posted:** Thu Feb 26, 2004 9:02 pm

The specific law specialty dealing with public agencies is "administrative law". Likely the city or county attorney you'll be dealing with has drafted these documents before.

Then have your own lawyer review them to fully protect your interests and to make sure you're getting an equitable agreement.

Drake Rice · **Posted:** Fri Feb 27, 2004 10:53 am

I agree, you need an attorney with Municipal Law background since public bodies operate under more tight review than normal business dealing from the stand point that everything is open for public review. Our museum has contract with a trust of the city to use track for operations that had sat unused for 20 years, and we had a member who is familiar with municipal law but we also went to an outside council. It helped, and was time and effort well spent. It took six months to get the contract finalized and then approved by the appropriate boards. >
The specific law specialty dealing with
> public agencies is "administrative
> law". Likely the city or county
> attorney you'll be dealing with has drafted
> these documents before.

> Then have your own lawyer review them to
> fully protect your interests and to make
> sure you're getting an equitable agreement.

drakerice@ompa.com