Charter Review Committee
July 8, 2004
Regular Meeting Minutes
Council Chambers, 1175 East
Main Street
CALL TO
ORDER: Acting Chair John Enders called
the Ashland Charter Review Committee meeting to order at 4:03 p.m. on July 8,
2004 in the Civic Center Council Chambers, 1175 E Main Street, Ashland, Oregon.
Members Present:
Roy Bashaw, Hal Cloer, Kate Culbertson, John Enders, Laurie MacGraw, Pam Marsh,
Keith Massie, Michael Riedeman and Carole Wheeldon. Donald Montgomery arrived
at 4:23 p.m.
Member Absent:
None
Staff Present: Mike Franell, City Attorney
Ann Seltzer, Management
Analyst, Staff Liaison to the CRC
Nancy Slocum, Clerk
I. CONSENT AGENDA
MacGraw/Wheeldon
m/s to approve the minutes with the correction that Hal Cloer was currently a
member of the Jackson County Charter Review Committee. Motion passes
unanimously.
II. PUBLIC FORUM
Bryan Holley, 324 Liberty, a member of the Tree Commission and ad hoc member of the
Citizens for Responsible Government, thanked the committee for making
public participation a priority in the review process. He suggested that political issues be
forwarded to the League of Women Voters as possible election topics. Holley
also suggested limited use of a consultant for the review process.
Holley would
like the revised charter changed to a City Manager form of government, have
elected members of the Budget Committee, provide salaries to City Councilors
and administer the Parks Department within existing city structures.
III. PRESENTATION
Former City Administrator Brian
Almquist was asked to give a brief presentation on his experience of the legal,
practical and political issues within the current charter. The legal issues
included preserving the general grant powers (powers
that the City and the State have in common), whether
the revised charter ballot measure should contain more than one issue and
perhaps be ruled unconstitutional, looking at the special provisions in the
charter that may or may not need to be preserved such as the County
levying road tax within the City limits, shifting the Police Chief’s powers and
duties to the municipal code, questions regarding the dedication of Parks
Department land to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, outdated levies, and the
City’s ability to dispose of water rights.
Practical issues include minor potential problems within the charter and
the public’s reluctance to change what does not seem broke, the autonomous
Parks Department’s protection against budge cuts, the potential for City
Councilors to direct staff, and the Mayor’s ability to veto Council decisions.
Mr. Almquist recommended limiting the political special interest issues. He
thought public and press involvement very important and emphasized the need to
use local resources and recommended not hiring a consultant.
Committee
discussed the “council/management” form of government versus a “strong mayor”
form of government. Ashland is currently only one in five cities in Oregon with
a “strong mayor” form of government.
Mr. Almquist recommended that City Administrator and City Attorney
appointments be made equally by the City Council and Mayor.
Some committee
members wondered about public opinion in regards to revising the charter. Committee requested future discussion on
electing City Councilors using the precinct versus position method. Almquist
recommended Council positions as citizens could run against an individual they
disagreed with. Michael Riedeman wanted to discuss the lack of Council
representation from Southern Oregon University at a future meeting.
IV. OPERATING PROCEDURES
Committee asked
City Attorney Mike Franell for clarification on the use of Roberts Rules of
Orders. Franell explained that Roberts
Rules could be an inefficient use of time; therefore the committee had the
option of using Roberts Rules when and if problems arose. Laurie MacGraw asked
if the committee make a technical mistake, could a vote be negated. Franell
answered no, not unless a point of order was made at the time of the vote.
Committee
discussed and amended a sample list of policies and procedures compiled from
other Charter Review Committees from around the state. Discussion included how
to include public testimony on agenda items.
MOTION:
Riedeman/Carole Wheeldon m/s that, recognizing that public input is important;
the Public Forum section of the agenda would be limited to items not on the
agenda (15 minutes total, each speaker limited to 3 minutes) and limited public
input would be allowed on each agenda item. Motion passed unanimously.
Committee
decided to leave time limits vague and revisit the issue if problems arise in
the future.
Committee
discussed adding a policy to avoid repeating discussions if one member of the
committee is absent. A topic could be revisited if the committee passed “a
motion to reconsider.” The committee was in favor of such a policy and asked
staff to draft one for consideration at the next meeting.
Other polices
discussed included subcommittees, motions (including a discussion of the term
“consensus”) and the use of staff. Committee agreed to discuss policies
specific to a consultant at the next meeting.
V. CHARTER REVIEW CONSULTANT – Tabled.
VI. PUBLIC INPUT
/ PUBLIC EDUCATION
Keith Massie
asked about public meeting notification. He thought a legal notice in the
classified was not sufficient. Seltzer volunteered to develop a marketing plan
outlining the type of audience, options for publicity and costs. The rest of
the discussion was tabled.
VII.ELECT CHAIR
AND VICE CHAIR
Riedeman
inquired about the leadership experience of other committee members.
MOTION:
Massie/Pam Marsh m/s to elect John Enders as chair and Wheeldon as Vice Chair.
Motioned passed 9-1.
Committee asked
the Chair and Vice Chair to work together as a team.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:08 p.m.
John Enders
Temporary Chair
Respectfully Submitted,
Nancy Slocum
Clerk