07/06/1977 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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. . e Mr. Obie felt the suggestion was excellent for each commission to establish its goals against which City Council could evaluate after a year's time. His major concern was the trend with commissions looking inward to city functioning and monitoring of city government, rather than looking outward to the community to promote facilities, employment, housing, etc. on a broader scale. Mayor Keller shared the concern with staffing of the commissions, noting a feeling that the staff persons did not represent the commissions. He said the people in the neighborhood liaison group had experienced the same problem. He said it might be a problem of requests to staff not being handled properly, but noted it would be difficult to get away from that sort of problem. Mr. Russell replied the time factor was important. He noted for the commissions where one single staff person had been working for a year, those commissions were coming to grips with problems. He said the major problems occurred where a commission had several staff persons in one year's time. Mayor Keller asked Mr. Russell whether he was happy with the existing structure, or whether there was a different type of structure that would be more appropriate. Mr. Russell said he was not prepared to comment on that question. He felt that was a good question for City Council to evaluate next year. e Mr. Delay expressed concern over the proliferation of commissions, noting if there were a target group in the population, the trend was to create another commission. He questioned whether this would render them ineffective and whether they would serve the community that well. Another concern of Mr. Delay's was the lack of a sunset clause, citing a theoretical situation in which all problems of a commission were re- solved but that commission would still be in existence. He felt it was a question that should be addressed at some time in the future. He also questioned staff in recommendations 1 and 2 of the Human Rights report, whether the request for a third human rights specialist was the one being filled by' the present vacancy or an additional person. Assistant Manager said recommendation 2 was in addition to the vacancy being filled at at the present time; however, no money had been budgeted for that position. Mr. Delay wondered if it was the City Manager's position that five com- missions could be staffed with three persons. Andy Clement, Human Rights Specialist, said after the third position had been filled, responsibilities for the six commi ss.; ons woul d be di v i d~d among the three human ri ghts specialists according to their sensitivities and talents. Mr. Delay moved, seconded by Mr. Hamel, to approve recommendations 1, 3 and 4 in the Human Rights report; direct staff to prepare an ordinance to increase the fine recommended in No.4; and request all commissions to adopt goals as soon as possible, with October 31, 1977 as the deadline. e Discussion was held whether the commissions could meet that time limit, with Mr. Clement noting the problems of commissions meeting quorums during the summer vacation months. 5lfO 7/6/77 --9