Council General Government Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The General Government Committee met on January 15, 2013, at 11:00 a.m., with Steve Kay presiding. The committee addressed six agenda items during the meeting, including the election of a committee chair, approval of meeting summaries, and consideration of policy amendments. Three motions were voted on during the session, with the committee approving the election of the committee chair, approving a summary, and approving an amendment to Section 4.104 of Council Rules. The Parks Master Plan and items referred to the committee were presented for informational purposes, while the Metro Employees Credit Union Lease and PSA was postponed for further consideration. The committee also heard six public comments during the meeting.

Attendance

Present: Linda Gorton, Steve Kay, Chris Ford, Shevawn Akers, Diane Lawless, Julian Beard, Jenny Scutchfield, George Myers, Harry Clarke, Ed Lane

Absent: None

Late: George Myers

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included three motions, all of which passed by voice vote.

Election of Committee Chair 7:01

A motion to elect Steve Kay as chair of the General Government Committee was made by Ed Lane and seconded by Diane Lawless. The motion passed by voice vote with all members voting in favor: Linda Gorton, Steve Kay, Chris Ford, Shevawn Akers, Diane Lawless, Julian Beard, Jenny Scutchfield, George Myers, Harry Clarke, and Ed Lane.

Approval of Previous Meeting Summary 8:06

A motion to approve the summary of the November 13, 2012 meeting was made by Julian Beard and seconded by Diane Lawless. The motion passed by voice vote with all members voting in favor: Linda Gorton, Steve Kay, Chris Ford, Shevawn Akers, Diane Lawless, Julian Beard, Jenny Scutchfield, George Myers, Harry Clarke, and Ed Lane.

Amendment to Council Rules 59:16

A motion to amend Section 4.104 of Council Rules to allow legislative review of certain documents at work sessions was made by Glenda George. The motion passed by voice vote with all members voting in favor: Linda Gorton, Steve Kay, Chris Ford, Shevawn Akers, Diane Lawless, Julian Beard, Jenny Scutchfield, George Myers, Harry Clarke, and Ed Lane.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting included approval of two lease agreements with Metro Employees Credit Union:

• Phoenix Building and Versailles Road Campus Lease: $9,611.25 for a lease agreement with Metro Employees Credit Union covering space at the Phoenix Building and Versailles Road Campus.

• Versailles Road Campus Lease: $37,544.75 for a lease agreement with Metro Employees Credit Union at the Versailles Road Campus.

These lease agreements represent contractual commitments totaling $47,156.00 with Metro Employees Credit Union for facilities at the specified locations.

Public Comment

Several council members raised questions and suggestions regarding Parks Department operations and budget matters during the meeting.

Grant Writer Position 27:39 Council Member Wallace asked whether the Parks Department would seek a grant writer position in the upcoming budget, noting the potential for grants such as the Kaboom Fund City designation. Commissioner Hamilton affirmed the need for such a position and suggested the role might extend beyond Parks alone.

Volunteer Maintenance Programs 29:54 Vice Mayor Gordon suggested exploring volunteer opportunities for low-liability maintenance tasks, including trail and greenway upkeep. He cited the Arboretum and Boy Scout projects as examples of successful volunteer initiatives. Commissioner Hamilton agreed this was a good idea and committed to pursuing it.

Weather Impact on Operations 34:11 Council Member Beard asked about tracking daily weather data to better understand fluctuations in park and golf usage and revenue, noting extreme weather in recent years. Commissioner Hamilton confirmed that weather significantly affects operations and that trends are being monitored.

Field Rental Revenue Maximization 38:47 Council Member Akers inquired whether all fields are fully utilized and whether a formal audit of income potential exists. Commissioner Hamilton acknowledged that no formal assessment has been completed yet but committed to answering detailed questions submitted by Council Member Akers.

Public Record Concerns 51:26 Vice Mayor Gordon raised concerns about items reviewed at work sessions not becoming part of the official council record unless voted on. He also questioned the use of "may" instead of "shall" in legislative language and opposed the exclusion of change orders from public record.

Change Orders and Transparency 55:59 Council Member Lane agreed with Vice Mayor Gordon that change orders should be public record and questioned whether current language would allow public access. He suggested using mayor's communications to ensure transparency.

Appointments

Steve Kay was appointed to serve as General Government Committee Chair.

Contested Items

Public Record Status of Legislative Review Items

A procedural dispute arose regarding the public accessibility of materials reviewed during work sessions and the status of change orders in the official council record. [timestamp information not available]

Vice Mayor Gordon and Council Member Lane expressed concerns that items discussed at work sessions would not automatically become part of the official council record. They also raised the issue that change orders should be publicly accessible documents.

Both officials advocated for stronger language in the relevant procedures and greater transparency in how legislative review materials are handled and made available to the public. Their position emphasized the importance of ensuring that work session discussions and related documents, particularly change orders, remain part of the public record rather than remaining in a limited or unofficial status.

The outcome of this dispute is not specified in the available meeting materials.

Election of Committee Chair

7:01

Council Member Steve Kay was nominated and elected as chair of the General Government Committee. The motion was seconded and passed without dissent.

No vice chair was appointed at this time.

Approval of Summary

The summary of the November 13, 2012 meeting was presented for approval. 8:06

Key speakers on this agenda item included Julian Beard and Diane Lawless.

The summary was approved without dissent, and no corrections were made to the document.

Parks Master Plan

Commissioner Sally Hamilton presented a high-level overview of the Parks Master Plan 8:50, outlining initiatives across three operational areas: recreation, enterprise, and maintenance.

Near-Term Projects

The presentation focused on several near-term projects designed to improve parks services and facilities. Key initiatives included improvements to pools and upgrades to golf courses. Additionally, the plan emphasized enhancing maintenance efforts in downtown parks.

Long-Term Goals

Beyond immediate projects, the Parks Master Plan identified longer-term aspirations for the department. These included exploring the feasibility of developing indoor aquatic centers and pursuing national accreditation for parks services.

Outcome

This agenda item was presented as informational, with no formal action or debate recorded. The presentation provided commissioners with an overview of the department's strategic direction across both near-term operational improvements and longer-term facility and service expansion goals.

Metro Employees Credit Union Lease and PSA

42:44

This agenda item, presented by Sally Hamilton and Piper Graham, addressed a lease agreement and Public Service Agreement (PSA) for Metro Employees Credit Union.

Lease Terms

The presentation included discussion of lease terms featuring a phased rent increase structure to be implemented over a five-year period.

Action Required

The presentation was postponed pending finalization of the Public Service Agreement by the Finance department. The PSA was identified as a necessary prerequisite before the lease could receive final approval.

Outcome

The item was postponed to allow time for the Finance department to complete the PSA documentation required to move forward with the lease agreement.

Amendment of Section 4.104 of Council Rules

Glenda George presented a draft amendment to Section 4.104 of Council Rules during this agenda item 44:22.

The proposed amendment would allow legislative review of certain documents during work sessions. The documents subject to this review process include deeds, easements, and price contracts.

Under the amendment's framework, the council would have the ability to refer, revise, or remove items from consideration. If the council takes no action on a referred item, the mayor would be authorized to execute the document.

The amendment was approved.

Items Referred To Committee

No items were referred to committee during this agenda item. The meeting proceeded directly to adjournment following this section, with a motion to adjourn that passed without dissent.