Manteca’s elected leaders will start a search for a new city attorney after Dave Nefouse has accepted a similar job with the City of Tracy for nearly $40,000 more a year.

Nefouse starts in Tracy on July 14 at an annual salary of $289,600.

The City Council when they meet Thursday at 4 p.m. will discuss appointing a two-member council panel to conduct a search TO REPLACE Nefouse.

The city attorney is the only municipal employee besides the city manager that the council directly hires.

City Manager Toni Lundgren indicated the city still will have two in-house attorneys, an assistant and a deputy.

They will continue to handle city legal issues. Outside counsel will be obtained when necessary. Nefouse is Manteca’s first in-house attorney in the city’s 113-year history.

Nefouse, when he was hired in February 2021 at $219,000 a year, was the city’s first ever in house city attorney.

Prior to Nefouse, John Brinton had served as Manteca’s city attorney for 41 years until his retirement on Sept. 30, 2020.

The firm founded by the late John McFall had represented Manteca for more than 80 years. McFall served as the city attorney before being elected to the California State Assembly and then Congress where he rose to the third most powerful position as the Majority Whip.

By having an in-house attorney,  the city is represented by legal counsel that has only one client — the City of Manteca.

 It has allowed cutting back on the need for an outside labor attorney. The city still retains outside legal counsel for specialty work such as bond underwriting and major lawsuit.

It is unusual for today for California cities the size of Manteca with 95,000 residents not to have an in-house attorney.

Merced — a city with 94,00 residents — has a city attorney, an assistant city attorney, a deputy city attorney, a paralegal, and a legal secretary. Napa with a population of 77,400 has a city attorney, an assistant city attorney, a deputy city attorney, and a legal secretary.

Many smaller jurisdictions such as Escalon and Ripon contract with law firms.

 Nefouse served previously in the Office of the County Counsel, County of Alameda, for over five years.

Nefouse’ departure next month also means the Manteca Historical Society will be without a president.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com