CC Minutes - 07/22/02 Work Session

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Ms. Nathanson noted alternate wording had been previously suggested. She preferred to vote on that alternative wording and could not support the proposal under consideration. Responding to a question from Mr. Kelly, Mayor Torrey determined that under the rules of the adopted process, he would not allow Mr. Kelly to withdraw the motion and substitute another. The motion passed, 4:3; Ms. Nathanson, Mr. Meisner, and Mr. Pap8 voting no. Mr. Kelly, seconded by Mr. Pap~, moved to refer the amendments to Section 24 related to filling vacancies as proposed by the Citizen Charter Review Committee to the November 2002 ballot. Mr. Kelly said that it was very important that citizens be allowed to select another representative in a timely fashion after a vacancy occurs. At the current time, it was possible for an appointed councilor to sit for 2-3/4 years before another election. The amendment provided for a subsequent year election and assumption of office in July with an absolute majority at the May election, which reduced the maximum existing between the time a vacancy occurred and the time the election occurred to a maximum of 1-3/4 years, and to as little as five months. He suggested that the council needed to weigh the additional cost of odd-year elections against the value of citizens electing a new representative. He also thought the staff-estimated costs for such an election too high. Uncertainty about such odd-year elections could be resolved by further research or a legislative remedy. No one spoke in opposition to the motion. The motion passed unanimously, 7:0. Mr. Rayor requested to change his vote on the prior motion. Mayor Torrey determined there was no objection, and the vote on the motion related to the hiring and firing authority of the City Manager failed, 4:3; Ms. Taylor, Mr. Kelly, and Ms. Bettman voting yes. Mr. Kelly, seconded by Mr. Pap~, moved to refer the amendments to Section 28 related to adoption of ordinances as proposed by the Citizen Charter Review Committee to the November 2002 ballot. Mr. Kelly thought, given that enacting laws is a fundamental duty of the council, it made sense that the charter provided some more clear, modern detail on how ordinances were adopted so that the process was not subject to ad hoc change. He reviewed the elements of the proposed text. Mr. Kelly did not think that the cost of providing public notice about ordinances overly burdensome, and noted that the recommendation of the CCRC on this issue was unanimous. No one spoke in opposition to the motion. The motion passed unanimously, 7:0. Mr. Kelly, seconded by Mr. Pap~, moved to refer the amendments to Section 32 related to the effective date of ordinances as proposed by the Citizen Charter Review Committee to the November 2002 ballot. MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 22, 2002 Page 12 Work Session