The Fresno City Attorney said late Thursday afternoon that former Fresno City Councilmember Luis Chavez hasn’t been forthcoming about his contracting relationship with a political consultant.

Chavez, the former District 5 representative now serving as a Fresno County supervisor, is facing scrutiny after reporting by GV Wire and Fresnoland about his role in awarding consulting contracts to Alex Tavlian and Tavlian’s firm, Local Government Strategic Consulting.

Tavlian is a Fresno-based political consultant known for helping candidates and ballot measures win elections. His firm has also contracted with the city of Fresno for outreach work.

In an interview with Fresnoland this week, Chavez said, “I don’t recall receiving any legal advice,” regarding the awarding of contracts to Tavlian.

During Thursday’s Fresno City Council meeting, City Attorney Andrew Janz contradicted that statement. The city council voted 7-0 in closed session to issue a limited waiver of attorney-client privilege, allowing Janz to disclose information.

That vote came after GV Wire News Director Bill McEwen wrote a column stating that if councilmembers wanted taxpayers to know the truth about the contracts, they should waive attorney-client privilege.

“The City Attorney’s Office properly advised former Councilmember Luis Chavez in January of 2023 that any future agreements with LGSC for the same services prior was required to go to the city council for authorization under Fresno Municipal Code Section 4-107 (e),” Janz said on the dais.

The code governs contracts that do not require competitive bidding. The specific section prohibits splitting contracts into smaller agreements to avoid council approval.

Chavez Calls City Attorney’s Statement ‘Rehashed’ News

Chavez responded on Friday, calling it an “old story from four years ago, rehashed again … lol.”

“Everything that has been said has been said about the city’s procurement process and changing any existing policies. It’s a city council decision to bring additional transparency and disclosures, and I want to be respectful of their work — that’s not my lane anymore. I wish my former colleagues well. I’m focused on serving as county supervisor and will not be commenting any further on this old story,” Chavez said.

Tavlian did not return messages seeking comment.

The Contract Controversy

Any contract worth $100,000 or more must be publicly approved by the city council. In 2024, Chavez and Tavlian’s firm signed two separate $100,000 deals — a six-month contract on July 1, 2024; and a one-year deal signed Dec. 17, 2024. Neither went to the city council for a vote.

The City Attorney’s Office reviewed both 2024 contracts. Janz said Thursday that his office’s role is to ensure contracts are legal in form, while approval rests with the city council.

The latter contract was signed during Chavez’s lame-duck period — after he won election to the Fresno County Board of Supervisors but before he resigned his city council seat.

Tavlian’s firm also held outreach contracts with District 2 Councilmember Mike Karbassi in 2022 and 2023, valued at $45,000 each. Those contracts were not voted on by the city council because they were under $100,000.

Tavlian’s Firm Fined by City Attorney’s Office

Tavlian was later revealed to be the consultant behind controversial mailers in the race to succeed Chavez on the city council. The hit piece accused Brandon Vang of impropriety. Vang denied the allegations, and won the election in March 2025.

The City Attorney’s Office fined Tavlian’s firm behind the mailer, Fresno Future Forward, $1,000 for failing to file disclosure statements.

After Vang was sworn in April 2025, one of his first acts was to cancel the active Tavlian contract.

Chavez is also accused of using a mailer sent to District 5 constituents to promote his wife, Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas, who ran to succeed him but lost to Vang.

Who is Supposed to Enforce?

Janz has said publicly that it is not his role to enforce city code against councilmembers or the city itself. Both are his clients, and his responsibility is to provide legal advice.

“I can’t investigate my own clients. That is not my role,” Janz told GV Wire on Friday.

Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp has a public integrity unit dedicated to investigating allegations against public officials and government entities.

Smittcamp was not immediately available for a comment.

The Fair Political Practices Commission — the state agency charged with enforcing campaign finance laws — lists an open investigation into Tavlian related to the 2025 city council mailers. The agency’s database does not list any active investigations into Chavez or Jonasson Rosas.

Vang Calls for Transparency

At a news conference last week, Vang said the city needs greater transparency around consultant contracts, including those valued under $100,000.

He has yet to make any formal proposals to the city council.

Karbassi announced he will form an ad hoc committee to examine several city policies, including transparency.

Also at Thursday’s city council meeting, the council approved an amended contract with consultant Blong Xiong. The expanded scope of work and added compensation pushed the contract’s value over $100,000, triggering a required vote.