Council General Government Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The General Government Committee met on April 12, 2011, at 2:00 p.m., presided over by Ed Lane. The committee considered five agenda items, taking four votes during the meeting. Five members of the public provided comments.

The committee approved three items: the Citizens Advocate Work Group Update, the Facilities Use Policy, and the Internal Audit Update. Two items were deferred for future consideration: Open Standards, Open Data and the Purchase of Energy-Efficient Vehicles.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on April 10, 2011:

• Ed Lane
• Jay McCord
• Scott Seymour
• Linda George
• Council Member Martin
• Council Member Myers
• Council Member Byers
• Council Member Ford
• Council Member K
• Council Member Crosby
• Council Member Kaye
• Council Member Blaine
• George Myers
• Mike Santer
• John Shee
• Mr. Shelley
• Mr. Horne
• Mr. Sully

No members were recorded as absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

Four motions were voted on and passed during this meeting.

Motion to Recommend Hiring the Citizens Advocate in Full-Time Capacity 47:06

Council Member Myers moved to recommend hiring the Citizens Advocate in a full-time capacity, seconded by Council Member Ford. The motion passed by voice vote with no opposition. Those voting in favor were Council Member Myers, Council Member Ford, Council Member Crosby, Council Member Kaye, Council Member Blaine, George Myers, Mr. Shelley, Mr. Horne, and Mr. Sully.

Amendment to Change 'Periodic Basis' to 'Annual Basis' for Facility Use Policy Review 1:03:38

Council Member Crosby moved to amend the facility use policy language to require review on an annual basis rather than a periodic basis, seconded by Mr. K. The amendment passed by voice vote with no opposition. Those voting in favor were Council Member Crosby, Council Member K, Council Member Myers, Council Member Ford, Council Member Kaye, Council Member Blaine, George Myers, Mr. Shelley, Mr. Horne, and Mr. Sully.

Amendment to Require Facility Use Policy Submission by June 1, 2011 1:05:21

Council Member Myers moved to require submission of the facility use policy by June 1, 2011, seconded by Council Member Myers. The motion passed by voice vote with no opposition. Those voting in favor were Council Member Myers, Council Member Ford, Council Member Crosby, Council Member Kaye, Council Member Blaine, George Myers, Mr. Shelley, Mr. Horne, and Mr. Sully.

Motion to Bring Revised Internal Audit Board Ordinance and Bylaws to Full Council 1:24:30

Council Member Crosby moved to bring forward the revised internal audit board ordinance and bylaws to the full council, seconded by Council Member Myers. The motion passed by voice vote with no opposition. Those voting in favor were Council Member Crosby, Council Member Myers, Council Member Ford, Council Member Kaye, Council Member Blaine, George Myers, Mr. Shelley, Mr. Horne, and Mr. Sully.

Public Comment

Council members raised several concerns during the meeting regarding the Citizens Advocate Office and conflict of interest procedures.

Citizens Advocate Position Status

Council Member Ford 14:20 emphasized that the Citizens Advocate Office is the only office in government with less than one full-time equivalent staffing level. Ford questioned the committee's lack of progress on the matter despite a charter requirement to maintain the position.

Council Member Myers 17:50 argued that the Citizens Advocate must be a full-time position as required by the charter. Myers criticized the committee for inaction over nearly a year, noting this requirement applies regardless of current usage levels.

Council Member Kaye 35:05 expressed discomfort with voting for a full-time position given the low volume of inquiries received by the office. Kaye suggested the office may not justify full-time staffing based on current demand.

Conflict of Interest in Internal Audit Board

Council Member Crosby 1:11:20 raised concerns about the lack of objective criteria in the ordinance for defining conflict of interest. Crosby specifically noted that the ordinance does not adequately address perceived conflicts that are not tied to financial interest.

Council Member Martin 1:11:20 questioned whether the current conflict of interest rules are sufficient for board members. Martin suggested the Department of Law should provide clearer guidance to internal audit board members regarding conflict of interest standards.

Contested Items

Citizens Advocate Full-Time vs. Part-Time Status

The committee was divided on whether to maintain the Citizens Advocate as a full-time position. The disagreement centered on balancing operational efficiency against charter requirements and the independence of the role. Some members argued for a part-time arrangement based on efficiency considerations, while others emphasized that the charter mandated a full-time position and that maintaining full-time status was necessary to preserve the independence and effectiveness of the role. The committee ultimately split on this vote, indicating no consensus was reached on the matter.

Conflict of Interest in Internal Audit Board

Council members engaged in a heated discussion regarding ambiguities in the conflict of interest provisions for the internal audit board. The primary concern was the lack of clarity surrounding perceived conflicts of interest that were not tied to financial interest. Members called for clearer guidance and definitions to address these gray areas. Council members specifically requested that the Department of Law provide more explicit guidance on how to evaluate and handle conflicts of interest that fall outside traditional financial conflict categories.

Citizens Advocate Work Group Update

9:00

The committee discussed the Citizens Advocate Work Group's findings regarding the position and its responsibilities. Key speakers included Linda George, Council Member Myers, Council Member Ford, Council Member Kaye, and Council Member Crosby.

The discussion centered on three main topics:

• Legal Opinion on Additional Duties: The committee reviewed a legal opinion addressing whether additional duties could be assigned to the Citizens Advocate position.

• Part-Time Position Possibility: The group considered whether the position could be structured as part-time rather than full-time.

• Charter Requirements: The committee emphasized the need to maintain the Citizens Advocate office as required by the charter.

The committee voted on a motion to recommend hiring a full-time Citizens Advocate. The motion passed unanimously, indicating strong consensus among the council members present that the position should remain full-time to meet charter obligations and effectively serve the community's needs.

Facilities Use Policy

The committee reviewed a resolution directing General Services to draft a facility use policy. 48:12

Key Speakers

George Myers, Mike Santer, and John Shee participated in the discussion of this agenda item.

Resolution Details

The resolution called for General Services to develop a comprehensive facility use policy. The committee approved amendments to the original resolution that added two important requirements:

• Annual review of the policy
• A submission deadline of June 1, 2011

Outcome

The resolution passed unanimously.

Internal Audit Update

The Internal Audit Board presented an update on its bylaws and governance structure 1:07:49.

Presentation and Approval

The Internal Audit Board reported unanimous approval of its bylaws. The board recommended the adoption of an ordinance revising the board's structure and operations.

Key Participants

The discussion involved the following speakers: - Mr. Shelley - Mr. Horne - Council Member Crosby - Council Member Martin

Outcome

The committee approved both items—the bylaws and the recommended ordinance revision—for submission to the full council.

Open Standards, Open Data

1:25:01

Council Member Martin raised the topic of open data policy during this agenda item. Martin proposed that open data policy be added to the agenda for the next meeting, noting that other cities have already adopted similar initiatives. Martin also indicated that the Lectureary Commission should be engaged in discussions regarding this matter.

The item was deferred, with no immediate action taken at this meeting.

Purchase of Energy-Efficient Vehicles

Council Member Myers proposed adding the topic of energy-efficient vehicles to the June meeting agenda. The discussion focused on examining alternative fuels from a government policy perspective, with an emphasis on keeping the analysis separate from environmental or cost-focused committees.

The item was deferred, with no immediate action taken at this meeting. 1:26:42