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Mr. Kelly commented that the question arose in part because a concern that if a councilor lobbied, he or she <br />represented the adopted position of the body. He said that the section, as currently written, was directed <br />toward conferences and his concern was with participation in intergovernmental bodies such as the <br />Metropolitan Policy Committee (MPC). He expressed an interest in receiving draft language that set forth <br />guidelines reflecting an adopted council position in votes for a specific list of intergovernmental bodies. <br /> <br />Ms. Bettman agreed with Mr. Kelly's remarks. She said her concern was focused on the budgetary <br />authority of a body, such as the MPC, and on the League of Oregon Cities (LOC) and adoption of policies <br />by those bodies that were counter to official City policy. She said if the approach was to determine that a <br />member of an LOC committee was not representing the City, the City should no longer fund that activity. <br />She indicated that the first paragraph of 9.03 Attending Conferences, Other Meetings was acceptable. <br /> <br />Ms. Taylor agreed that the council should discuss the relevant issues and direct its MPC representatives on <br />how to vote. She said that if the council had an opportunity to review resolutions of the LOC or National <br />League of Cities (NLC) prior to adoption, it would be appropriate to discuss them and ensure that the <br />council's views were represented. She said that participation on NLC committees, to which members are <br />appointed by the LOC president, was a different situation, and a councilor did not represent the City in that <br />instance. <br /> <br />Ms. Nathanson noted her objection to removal of 9. 03 Attending Conferences, Other Meetings at an earlier <br />meeting and said there was more protection for the council with the section in place than with it removed <br />without replacement language. She suggested reinstatement of the section until revised language was <br />approved by the council. Regarding the MPC, she commented that on occasion one of the council's <br />representatives had made statements contrary to the majority position. She said that suggestions for revised <br />language would require that both representatives on the MPC express the same positions and cast the same <br />votes and encouraged the council to discuss whether the representatives should present differing points of <br />views and ideas or present a unified position. She agreed with Ms. Taylor's comments regarding participa- <br />tion on NLC committees and agreed that members did not represent the City, although to the extent that <br />issues were known before a meeting, those could be shared with other councilors via email or as information <br />items on the council's agenda. <br /> <br />Mr. Pap6 said he agreed with Mr. Kelly and Ms. Bettman that the council's MPC representatives should <br />adhere to the council's position on issues; however, councilors were also representatives of their wards and <br />constituents and had their own consciences. He said with regard to LOC and NLC committee representation <br />it was fine to ask members to express the will of the council where possible, but vote their own conscience. <br />He did not feel it was feasible for the council to attempt to deliberate on all of the resolutions that went <br />before the MPC, LOC, and NLC and felt voting should be left to a councilor's best judgment. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner agreed with Ms. Bettman's remarks and said the issue for him went beyond budgetary <br />authority. He commented that LOC and NLC appointments were made for individuals, but LOC and NLC <br />memberships were expensive and paid for by the City. He said that the Council Committee on Intergovern- <br />mental Relations (CCIGR) had recently expressed frustration that while the City's priorities were communi- <br />cated to LOC, the LOC legislative lobbyists seldom presented those priorities. He stated it was extremely <br />important that councilors and the mayor consistently represent the City's position during their participation <br />in LOC activities, along with their individual opinions. He said that where budgetary authority was <br />concerned, as with the MPC, it was even more important to represent the City's policies. He said he would <br />like to see council policy expressed, if relevant on a particular issue, whenever a councilor is participating in <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 8, 2004 Page 3 <br /> Process Session <br /> <br /> <br />