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ATTACHMENT A MINUTES Council Committee on Intergovernmental Relations McNutt Room, City Hall August 31, 2004 12~00 Noon PRESENT~ Scott Meisner, Chair; David Kelly, Gary Pap6, members; Jason Heuser, Karen Hyatt, Greg Rikhoff, City Manager's Office; Moses S. Rodriguez, Intern 1. Call to Order and Review Agenda Mr. Meisner called the meeting of the Council Committee on Intergovernmental Relations (CCIGR) to order. With permission of the committee, he moved Item 4, Resolutions on Ballot Measures, to Item 2 on the agenda. 2. Resolutions on Ballot Measures Mr. Heuser introduced the item by explaining that City staff are not allowed to be involved in drafting resolutions on ballot measures. Mr. Meisner then asked Mr. Rikhoffto explain a recent policy change on ballot measure resolutions that affects appointed commission members' ability to consider them. Mr. Rikhoff said City and County Attorneys have confirmed that appointed commissioners are now considered to be employees for the purposes of involving themselves in legislation, and are unable to participate in any process that would create a position on a ballot measure. Mr. Meisner noted that in the past appointed commissions had taken positions on pending legislation and ballot measures, and that, for example, on Ballot Measure 36, the normal process would have been for the CCIGR to ask the Human Rights Commis- sion (HRC) to look at the measure and give the committee its advice. Now, he said, the HRC cannot do so. Any recommendations to the City Council on legislation or ballot measures must come from the CCIGR. Mr. Pap6 asked if commissions could be asked in general about their positions on issues. Mr. Heuser answered he had not consulted the City Attorney on that point. Mr. Meisner added that councilors did have the wisdom of commissions' prior positions on similar legislation, such as the Planning Commission's position on Ballot Measure 37's predecessor, Measure 7. Since Measure 36 is a new issue, he said, the best the CCIGR can do is decide whether it wants to make a recommendation to the City Council to take a position on the ballot measure. He reminded the members that if the City Council does choose to take a position on a ballot measure, City staff can not be involved at work in campaigning for or against the measure. Mr. Kelly asked if City staff could be involved in the mechanical processing of legislative resolutions, such as typing and recording. Mr. Heuser and Mr. Meisner confirmed that such "scrivener's work" was permissible. MINUTES--Council Committee on August 31, 2004 Page 1 Intergovernmental Relations