The City Council on Dec. 8 unanimously approved a contract amendment with a legal consultant for the city’s billboard advertising initiative.
The council also amended the city budget by $20,000.
The proposed contract was between Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, P.C.
During the public comment part of the meeting, resident Catherine Showalter asked for an explanation of the need for the contract amendment. She asked for the item to be pulled off the Consent Calendar.
District Three Councilwoman/Mayor Lisa Landau said she would pull that item so the city could explain it.
The contract amendment is part of a City Council plan to generate revenue by advertising on digital billboards. Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, P.C., specializes in this area of law.
The contract increased the money payed to CHW by $20,000, bringing the maximum that Seal Beach would pay the legal firm to $90,000.
“On August 10, 2023, the City of Seal Beach (City) entered into a Special Counsel Services (SCS) Agreement with Telecom Law Firm, P.C. (TLF) to provide specialized legal services related to telecommunications law, including the review, negotiation, and management of wireless facility leases on City-owned property,” according to the staff report prepared by Management Analyst Sean Sabo.
“The City currently maintains 11 wireless facilities on City-owned property, all of which are undergoing legal and administrative review with TLF to ensure compliance and update lease documentation as necessary,” Sabo wrote.
“The City received formal notice on August 6, 2025, that the attorneys previously operating as Telecom Law Firm, P.C. (TLF) are now part of Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, P.C. (CHW),” Sabo wrote.
According to Sabo’s report, all services previously provided by SCS will now be provided by CHW.
The billboard advertising initiative was one of the items discussed during the City Council’s November 2025 Strategic Planning meeting.
“Given that the West Orange County Connector segment of Interstate 405 is among the most heavily traveled freeway corridors in the nation, staff identified potential City-owned sites adjacent to this segment as strategically suitable for billboard placement,” Sabo wrote.
According the report, the city issued a request for proposals for developing and operating the billboards. The city received three proposals. According to Sabo’s report, the city needs additional legal support to move forward with the billboard advertising project. The report said staff is ready to select a preferred operator.
“Amendment 2 to the SCS Agreement proposes to expand the scope of services, now provided under CHW, to include full legal representation and advisory support for the City’s billboard initiative. The expanded scope would generally include: negotiation and preparation of a comprehensive lease agreement, review of revenue terms, compensation structures, and financial assurances, coordination with the selected operator on design, construction, environmental compliance, and operational requirements, and guidance on relevant regulatory frameworks, including the California Outdoor Advertising Act, Federal Highway Administration standards, and Caltrans permitting procedures,” Sabo wrote.
