Resolution No. 4828 - Laserfiche WebLink

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8.03 Tracking Council Requests Except ~br routine inquiries, the City Manager shall respond to councilors' requests for information or assistance. The Manager shall assign these requests to appropriate City staff and ti'ack progress on fhe assignments. This process eliminates the possibilities of staff mernhers duplicating each other's efforts or a request being overlooked. In each weekly information packet a list of current requests for assistance will be provided. 9, REPRESENTING CITY POSITIONS AND PERSONAL POSITIONS 9.(}1 Written Communications from City Councilors and Mayor In written corumunication with other officials or groups and in letters for publication, such as the editor," the Mayor and councilors should be careful to decide whether to speak only for themselves or for the Council. [n speaking for the Council, when there is a position which the writer wishes to reinforce or explain, it is useful to circulate a copy to the Council for comment before the letter is mailed. Letters to other elected officials or agencies on City issues shall be discussed with the appropriate staff so that the City lobby effort can be coordinate& When writing as an individual, a com~cilor or the Mayor is free to take any position which he or she feels is appropriate. When it is a point of view different from a Council position, this fact should be included in the letter, Use of City stationery and choice of pronouns shall be lef~ to the discretion of the councilor or the Mayor. The governing principle is to advise the Council or staff when expressing a City position~ and to make differences clear when speaMng as an individual. 9.02 State/Federal Lobbying The effectiveness of City lobbying in Salem. or in Washington, D.C., depends on the clarity of the City's voice. When councilors or the Mayor represent the City in a lobbying situation, it ~s appropriate that the councilors or the Mayor avoid expressions of personal dissent from an adopted Council policy. This policy is stated in Resolution No. 4139, Council Policy on Testimony and Funding Applications. A councilor or the Mayor in disagreement with an adopted policy should not be deprived of the right to express such views to the appropriate officials at another time and another place. However, the coundlor or the Mayor should feel bound to advise those to whom such disagreement is expressed that it is an individual view and that the Council has taken a different position. 9.03 Attending Conferences, Other Meetings Councilors and the Mayor are encouraged to attend conferences and training sessions which would enhance their skills and knowledge. Any councilor or the Mayor may attend any meeting at which the Council is represented~ but only the formally appointed official City Council representative or designated alternate", has the right to vote on matters being considered by Resolution - 9