HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Meeting - Council Workshop - Minutes - 07/02/2002 COUNCIL WORKSHOP MINUTES
July 2, 2002
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: President Tim Clark, Connie Epperly, Leona Orr, Julie
Peterson, Bruce White, Judy Woods, Rico Yingling
STAFF PRESENT: Mike Martin, Dena Laurent, Jim Schneider, May Miller, Marty Mulholland,
Charlene Anderson, Brenda Jacober, John Hodgson, Tom Brubaker, Jackie Bicknell
PUBLIC PRESENT: Ted Kogita
The workshop began at 5:10 p.m.
Council President's Duties
Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Dena Laurent—This is a follow up from a request at your
council retreat to look at the Council President's duties. I have looked at other council job
descriptions and you will see there are some suggested changes, but this is kind of your
discussion and whatever changes you'd like to make.
Council President Tim Clark—On the new ones there,Administer the Council Budget I'd like to
deliver notice to the council I've also been notified that evidently our budget is getting somewhat
restricted and we're going to have to make some adjustments. I haven't gone through the real
numbers but they just want you alerted to the fact. That's more appropriate language from my
standpoint because that's one of the things that's specific. Ensure adequate Council facilities,
equipment, and support that obviously means are we able to do our job. At one time there was a
conversation about three computers in the new thing in there. There are two in there currently is
there another one coming in or just on hold because of expenditures? Chief Administrative
Officer Mike Martin—I think the conversation was we would provide space for up to three. If
three were needed we would provide three.
Tim Clark—Right now we've got two. I would suggest that there is a time when Jackie in order
to do the minutes has to get out of that open area because of the conversations and so forth so
that potentially would put her back in there to work on that which means there would only be one
available for council. It is my observation that the only time we really get pressured for the
machines is right before council meetings or some other large scale meeting and Jackie would
not likely be working the minutes at that time so I for one can live with two. Councilmember
Leona Orr—I think we'll know in a couple of months how much use they're getting and if there
is a conflict with Jackie needing one and us showing up or something,but right now I think two
is fine. Councilmember Bruce White—If Jackie needed to use it for some reason and the other
one was also in use, for example, I could go use hers, couldn't I - at her desk? Mike Martin—
Yes. Councilmember Julie Peterson— I think in light of budget reasons,two is more than
adequate.
Tim Clark---Just in terms of the duties of the President, any problems with that? With the
. consent of the Council, direct Council correspondence as appropriate. I've asked that Jackie
literally forward to me in folders anything that was specifically sent to the City Council and
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required a response. For the most part, administration has taken care of making the immediate
direct response on a particular problem because it gets forwarded to that department but once in a
while we do get some oddball ones that actually do require my response. They are not often but
they do occur. Leona Orr—And we'll get copies of your responses? We get copies of the letters
that come in. Will we get copies of the responses? Tim Clark—I hadn't even thought about that
and that certainly would be appropriate if I'm speaking on behalf of the council. Jackie, when I
request a response then we do need to get copies to the Council.
Council Secretary Jackie Bicknell —They always get copies. Bruce White - Before or after it's
sent. Jackie Bicknell—After. Julie Peterson—The procedure when an email or letter comes in,
we all get copies? Jackie Bicknell—Yes. Julie Peterson—Right, and then the response comes
from the Council President? Jackie Bicknell—Or if it's to committee chairs or whoever it's to.
Councilmember Rico Yingling—And nothing says that anyone can't respond to it. Jackie
Bicknell - Right. Tim Clark—You all have access to the person that sent it. Councilmember
Connie Epperly—But I would think if somebody is responding on behalf of the council that
maybe we should know what the response is.
Tim Clark—Right. And we will see that you are forwarded everything.
Leona Orr— It would not be real practical though to have to get approval of six council members
before you send your response. So we hope that your response is appropriate. You have to keep
that in mind as you send a response that you're speaking for the full council and I've been there.
I know. And so you want to be sure but for him to have to call each of us or send it by email or
something, is this okay?, well that's not real efficient. We would have to hope that Tim would
have a feeling for the council and typically the responses you send are based on staff information
and the ability to respond. Tim Clark—The one that I actually gave Jackie was personally sent
to me and it was from a council member in another city. Jackie Bicknell—And actually I did not
copy that to everybody because I was waiting for your response. The one you just gave me
tonight. But when I type that up and send him the response, then I'll make a copy to everybody.
Tim Clark—It was personal but it doesn't make any difference. That was not an issue.
Julie Peterson—Can we go back to the one just ahead again, the adequate council facilities,
equipment, and support? That again is with collaboration of council, is that correct? Tim Clark
—Yes. The purpose of the council president is to meet the needs of the council. Julie Peterson—
As long as we're discussing what any changes might be with Facilities or Support.
Tim Clark— Collaborate with the Council and Mayor's OjJice on policy issue consideration
including elements of timing. I think Leona will confirm that most of that takes place at the
agenda meetings but those things are already fed up through the committees. Rico Yingling—
That's basically one that you're documenting that's been a practice for some time. This one
here. Tim Clark—Right. It's wording for what was actually already in practice.
Council Relations: Lead and assist Council colleagues in annual review and update of Council
visions and goals for the City. That has been the practice. We talked about a mid year because
of the budget situation which by the way the numbers coming back at Operations were not
pleasant. When we attempted to schedule it we were trying to also tag that with the city tour and
• so tentatively we were looking at the first full week in September, that weekend. Mike Martin—
Council Workshop, 7/2/02 3
. September 101h. We have that as an agenda item here for the next one. Tim Clark—And as you
are already aware, Lanspery is setting up for interviews, so your input on what we want to do,
where we want to go, all that,will take place as part of the planning for that particular retreat.
Gather information on regional issues; attend regional meetings to represent the Council's view.
Mike Martin—This one's more of the same. What you do is attend meetings around the region,
in particular, SCA and others, it's pretty much the practice we have had for years as far as I
know. Tim Clark—From time to time you end up substituting for the Mayor at certain functions
where he's not going to be able to get there.
Inventory Council member areas of interest and/or expertise. As we go through the various
issues and I've had a meeting with everybody but Bruce,but when you have a particular need or
area of interest, please notify me so that we can keep you up to speed in terms of what the city is
doing.
Serving as Mayor Pro Tempore, issue proclamations, make declarations, and extend official
recognition. Much of that is done at council. Occasionally there is the possibility of the need for
that with a delegation. We haven't had that occur. Leona Orr—I think I did it maybe with the
Chinese delegation one time or when the Japanese were in town and going to be the official
representative at a luncheon and stuff like that. So it happens from time to time when the Mayor
is not available.
Tim Clark- Questions? Proposal? Wording? Choices? Leona Orr—The only word I don't like
. is inventory- council members' area of interest, and I don't know a better word but it seems kind
of weird to me. Mike Martin—Solicit? Leona Orr—That's not a good word either. Dena
Laurent—We'll find a better word.
Rico Yingling—I have a bit of a problem with Lead and assist Council colleagues in the annual
review and update of Council vision and goals for the city. Thinking about what the president
would do here, the president really would ensure that it takes place. So, I don't know how you
write that because I don't think we'd want the president leading the discussion of—maybe we
would, but it's not the way we do things. We tend to bring in a facilitator and the facilitator sits
down with all of us and maybe sits down with the president a little longer and a little more to
kind of learn the ropes and stuff, but the facilitator is the one that kind of leads and assists in the
development of a vision and the goals and the president acts more like a manager of the process
ensuring that it's scheduled, that we find a good date for it, that everybody is there, that all the
views are represented, that everybody takes part in it. Leona Orr— What if we said something
like organize and coordinate and schedule the annual review? Rico Yingling—And then assist
the facilitator as needed to do this. Does that make sense?
Dena Laurent—I think we just will be looking for direction to prepare this as we're actually
amending to do a draft ordinance. Leona Orr—So we're just amending the existing? Tom
Brubaker—Should I bring it to the next workshop or? Mike Martin— We can do it two ways.
We can either amend it from here and send it to council or we can amend it and bring it back to
workshop. Leona Orr—Or send it to one of the committees. Tim Clark—You could just send it
. to Operations. Leona Orr— I think sending it through Operations would probably be the cleanest
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Council Workshop,7/2/02 4
way to do it. The consensus appears to be that this is fairly good and has only minor changes.
Bring it to committee. If there's anything that comes up, then it's in an official capacity where
we can take action, because we can't take action here.
Council Retreat Agenda Discussion
Mike Martin said staff had arranged for Paul Lanspery to be here September 10`h for the fall
Council Retreat, and Mr. Lanspery would come prior to that time to do the usual interviews.
Agenda items would include a public safety bond that would fund a facility in anticipation of the
city expanding,potential annexation of the northeast Panther Lake area, and developing an
Economic Development Strategy.
Starting Time for August 6, 2002 Council Meeting
Mike Martin brought up National Night Out and the need to start the council meeting early so as
to get out and meet as many neighbor groups as possible. He said the Police Chief recommended
5:00 p.m.
Tim Clark mentioned that he presented on behalf of the City a quick overview of the Diversity
Board Task Force at the AWC meeting he attended last week when they discussed a campaign to
promote racial justice on the National Level. He told AWC they were welcome to contact the
City
The workshop adjourned at 5:43 p.m.
Council Office
2"d Floor, City Hall
220 4"'Ave. South, Kent, 98032
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