General Government Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The General Government Committee met on October 7, 2014, at 11:00 a.m., with Kay presiding. The committee addressed three agenda items during the session, taking 12 motions and votes overall. The meeting included 4 public comments from members of the public.

All three items on the agenda were approved. These included a Facilities & Fleet Management proposal from Farmer to abolish a Security Officer position and create an Administrative Officer position in its place, an E-Cigarette Ordinance presented by Gorton, and a set of Items Referred for consideration.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on October 7, 2014:

• Kay
• Scutchfield
• Ford
• Akers
• Beard
• Myers
• Clarke
• Lane
• Gorton
• Lawless

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The council took the following actions during the meeting:

Ordinance 0130-26: E-cigarette Ordinance 44:43 Motion by Gorton, seconded by Ford, to approve the e-cigarette ordinance amending the definition of "smoke or smoking" to include e-cigarettes. Passed by voice vote.

Ordinance 0130-26: Facilities and Fleet Management Ordinance 58:49 Motion by Kay, seconded by Ford, to place the facilities and fleet management ordinance back on the council docket for second reading. Passed by voice vote.

Committee Removals The council passed the following motions to remove items from committee:

• Motion by Scutchfield, seconded by Clarke, to remove the Coroner's Office Salary & Classification item from committee 1:00:57. Passed by voice vote.

• Motion by Scutchfield, seconded by Clarke, to remove the impact of vacant positions on parks, maintenance, and programming from committee 1:00:57. Passed by voice vote.

• Motion by Scutchfield, seconded by Clarke, to remove the grant review process from committee 1:01:27. Passed by voice vote.

• Motion by Gorton, seconded by Clarke, to remove the e-cigarette ordinance from committee 1:01:59. Passed by voice vote.

• Motion by Clark, seconded by Clarke, to remove the procedure for underwriting/sponsoring parks facilities from committee 1:02:29. Passed by voice vote.

• Motion by Clark, seconded by Clarke, to remove corporate branding from committee 1:03:05. Passed by voice vote.

• Motion by Clark, seconded by Clarke, to remove the exploration of shared artistic direction between Lyric and Downtown Arts Center from committee 1:03:39. Withdrawn.

• Motion by Ford, seconded by Clarke, to remove the Bluegrass ad relationship from committee 1:09:45. Passed by voice vote.

• Motion by Akers, seconded by Clarke, to remove the facilities and fleet management ordinance from committee 1:10:15. Passed by voice vote.

Adjournment 1:10:45 Motion by Kay, seconded by Ford, to adjourn the meeting. Passed by voice vote.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting included the following financial action:

Administrative Officer Position Funding

Ordinance 0130-26 appropriated $61,383 in funds for the creation of an Administrative Officer position in the Division of Facilities and Fleet Management.

Public Comment

Four members of the public provided comments on e-cigarette regulation and safety.

Carol Riker 16:08 presented scientific evidence regarding e-cigarette aerosol pollution. She stated that e-cigarette aerosol contains toxic particles and gases, including formaldehyde, propylene glycol, and metal particles. Riker emphasized that these emissions pollute indoor air and pose health risks similar to traditional smoking, and argued that e-cigarettes should be regulated like tobacco products due to their harmful emissions.

Tony Florence 27:04 addressed the safety and social impact of e-cigarettes from a different perspective. He argued that e-cigarette vapor is safer than secondhand smoke and that scientific evidence supports its safety. Florence criticized studies linking e-cigarettes to smoking initiation as misleading and characterized vaping as a harm reduction tool for smokers. He urged the committee to avoid overregulation.

Anthony Landrum 38:38 shared a personal experience with vaping as a smoking cessation tool. He stated that he successfully quit smoking through vaping and described the vapor as less irritating than cigarette smoke. Landrum argued that decisions about allowing vaping on premises should be made by individual business owners rather than by city regulation.

Harold Hensley 41:26 also spoke about vaping as a personal health choice and community support. He described how vaping helped him quit smoking and stated that it does not produce the same harmful effects as cigarette smoke. Hensley argued that government should not regulate personal choices made in private businesses.

The public comment period reflected differing perspectives on e-cigarette safety and regulation, with speakers presenting contrasting views on the health impacts of vaping and the appropriate level of government oversight.

Contested Items

### Creation of Administrative Officer Position and Abolition of Security Officer Role

A procedural dispute arose regarding the creation of a new Administrative Officer position and the concurrent abolition of the Security Officer role. Members raised concerns about whether the new position had been created specifically for a particular individual, which prompted questions about the fairness and openness of the process. This concern led to a temporary delay in discussion while council members reviewed an email from Councilmember Farmer for clarification. Following this review and reassurance from leadership that the process had been conducted in an open and fair manner, the matter was resolved and discussion proceeded.

### Regulation of E-Cigarettes in Public Spaces

A heated discussion took place regarding the regulation of e-cigarettes in public spaces. The debate featured sharply opposing viewpoints. Public health advocates emphasized the potential health risks associated with e-cigarette aerosol exposure, arguing for regulatory measures to protect public health. Conversely, e-cigarette users and their supporters argued for personal freedom and contended that vaping was a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. The discussion also included challenges to the validity of certain studies cited in the debate, as well as concerns raised about potential government overreach in regulating the use of e-cigarettes. The contested nature of the scientific evidence and fundamental disagreements about the appropriate role of government regulation characterized this contentious exchange.

Facilities & Fleet Mgmt. -- Abolishing Security Officer Position and Creating Administrative Officer Position

6:03

The committee discussed a proposed ordinance to abolish a vacant Security Officer position within the Division of Facilities and Fleet Management and create a new Administrative Officer role in its place.

Key Speakers and Discussion

The item was presented by Farmer. Committee members Reed, Kay, and Gorton participated in the discussion.

Concerns Raised

During the discussion, concerns were raised regarding potential favoritism in the hiring process for the new Administrative Officer position. Committee members sought clarification on how the recruitment and selection process would be conducted to ensure fairness and prevent preferential treatment.

Outcome

The committee approved the ordinance and voted to move it back to the council docket for second reading, allowing the measure to advance in the legislative process.

E-Cigarette Ordinance - Gorton

12:19

The committee discussed a proposed ordinance to include e-cigarettes in the city's smoke-free ordinance. The debate centered on whether e-cigarette aerosol should be regulated similarly to traditional tobacco smoke in indoor spaces.

Key Speakers and Presentations

The discussion involved committee members Gorton, Riker, Florence, Landrum, and Hensley. Public testimony presented scientific evidence regarding e-cigarette aerosol and its effects on indoor air quality.

Main Issues Debated

The primary focus of the committee's debate was the health and environmental impact of e-cigarettes in indoor settings. Public testimony highlighted that e-cigarette aerosol contains harmful chemicals that pollute indoor air, providing a scientific basis for potential regulation.

Outcome

The committee voted to approve the ordinance and send it to the full council for further consideration and final approval.

Items Referred

1:00:27

The committee reviewed several items that had been previously referred to determine whether they required further action or could be removed from the agenda.

Items Reviewed

The committee considered removal of the following referred items:

• Coroner's Office Salary & Classification
• Impact of vacant positions in Parks
• Grant review process
• Additional items noted for completion or closure

Discussion

Key speakers in this discussion included Scutchfield, Ford, Clark, Akers, and Gorton. The committee evaluated each referred item based on whether it had been completed or no longer required further action.

Outcome

The committee voted to approve the removal of the referred items from the agenda. The items were determined to have either been addressed or to no longer require committee attention at this time.