CC Minutes - 04/11/05 Mtg - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Attorney Glenn Klein clarified that the motion the council believed to be in the Consent Calendar was the substitute motion. Mayor Piercy affirmed that this was so. Roll call vote; the amendment failed, 5:3; councilors Solomon, Poling, and Pap6 voting in favor. Roll call vote; the main motion passed unanimously, 8:0. Mayor Piercy moved on to Item F, the resolution to take a stand against torture and ensure that all United States agencies abide by international treaties. Councilor Solomon explained that she had pulled the resolution because she did not agree that it was within the council's purview. She was most concerned because the resolution had come before the council with only two votes out of the Council Committee on Intergovernmental Relations (CCIGR) and had been placed on the Consent Calendar. Had she not pulled the item, it would have been voted on without discussion. She pointed out that she would have to solicit four votes should she want to place an item on the table. She did not think this was transparent government. Councilor Kelly underscored that the CCIGR majority represented only two votes because there were only three councilors on the committee. He averred she had the same mechanism open to her, which was that a matter she believed fell under the purview of the CCIGR could be brought to its attention and voted upon there, and then subsequently brought forward to the council for approval. He agreed the item should have been a stand-alone item. Councilor Kelly disagreed with Councilor Solomon's assertion that the resolution was not under the purview of the City Council. He reiterated that the councilors had taken an oath of office to uphold the United States Constitution and the resolution was the business of all of the residents of the country to defend and uphold the Constitution. Councilor Bettman averred that as the greatest %uperpower" of the world, the United States needed to set the highest standard for human rights. Because the City was not asking the federal government to make new laws, it was asking the government to uphold existing treaties and agreements, she believed it ~very appropriate" to reinforce this position through the resolution. She noted that the resolution was not precedent-setting as the council had taken a stand on the Patriot Act. Councilor Pap~ supported the spirit and substance of the resolution. He did not, however, believe it was a matter that belonged before the City Council. He averred this resolution was different than the resolution that took a stand against the Patriot Act in that the Patriot Act affected local residents. However, he indicated he would support the motion. Councilor Taylor urged support of the resolution. She said she was proud of the council for passing the Patriot Act resolution. She felt the City of Eugene was a leader in the nation. Councilor Ortiz concurred. She stated that local residents asked the council to take positions on such issues and the council should do so. She felt the council should take a stand against war crimes. MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 11, 2005 Page 10 Regular Session