CC Minutes - 09/24/01 Work Session

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Mr. Brown discussed the commission's liaison program, and identified the commissioners acting as liaisons to different groups: Angie Sifuentes and Dr. Katul would continue to work with the Racial Profiling Task Force; Dr. Katul and Mr. Denner would work with the department on staffing issues; Ms. Newbre would work with the PSCC; and Mr. Laue would work with the department on strategic planning. Mr. Brown discussed emerging issues in the work plan, identifying media access as such an issue. He invited the council to join the commission for a media access workshop planned for the regular meeting on October 11. He said that the new internal affairs auditor would also be at that meeting for the purpose of introductions and establishing working relations. He identified racial profiling as another emerging issue. A new policy was contemplated for the carotid hold; a subcommittee had been established for that effort. Mr. Brown said that noise complaints and the special response fee were also scheduled for discussion. He further noted that a policy was being developed for the use of bicycles by department staff. Mr. Brown identified photo red light and the department's new impoundment policy as other possible agenda topics. He said the commission was also prepared to address new issues as they arise. He invited questions. Responding to a question from Mr. Meisner regarding her status at the PSCC, Ms. Newbre said she had not yet attended a meeting and did not know if she would have a place at the table or a vote. Ms. Nathanson asked how the commission would solicit information from, for example, the Municipal Court judge or court staff: through the staff or directly? Mr. Brown assumed that the commission would solicit that information through its staff, although he did not think the commission would hesitate to ask the judge to attend a meeting and give input. Ms. Nathanson believed the judge had a role in different points in the commission's work; for example, he could provide input on how a policy was working, or input on a policy under consideration. Speaking to Ms. Newbre as liaison to the PSCC, Ms. Nathanson thought there was a direct relationship between the work being done by the PSCC and the commission's work. She cited the statistics reported by different jurisdictions and performance measures as examples and asked that Ms. Newbre follow that issue. She said that in addition, PSCC was working to reduce redundancies and shift resources to fill gaps that exist, and information from the City's liaison with staff would be useful in that effort. Dr. Katul noted the mayor and Ms. Nathanson's membership on the PSCC as well as its large size, and said for that reason the commission did not advocate for membership. He asked for Ms. Nathanson's input on the subject. Ms. Nathanson noted the PSCC contained citizen members already, agreed that the group was very large, and further suggested that its membership was delicately balanced. She thought it might be a mistake to request membership because it would spur other groups to demand the same status. She invited Ms. Newbre to contact her or the mayor if she thought something had been missed by the PSCC and needed to be raised at a PSCC meeting. MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 24, 2001 Page 3 Work Session