Item 3A - Minutes Approval - Laserfiche WebLink

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parameters. In the case of the MPC, the issue was whether the council's representatives should participate in discussions on allocation decisions for federal and State projects and vote based upon their individual preferences, or as an instructed delegate. He observed that requiring representatives on intergovernmental bodies to be instructed delegates would demand more time for the council and individual members to consider each issue and obtain a sense of council direction. Ms. Bettman, responding to Mayor Torrey's comments, said she believed that any language the council adopted should be applicable to any council and any committee representative. She said the existing language permitted representatives to state that a policy was in conflict with a stated council policy, but vote however they wished. She said MWMC was different because its projects and budgets came before the council for approval and the process for HSC allocations had been established through the council's allocation of a budget. She said that the issue of councilors participating in LOC and NLC activities but not representing the City was problematic because the taxpayers were supporting membership and were not being represented in terms of council policy. She used the example of the City's pursuit of a systems development charge for public safety and the LOC's lack of support. She questioned why the City would continue to participate in the LOC and suggested that councilors should participate on an individual basis for professional development purposes. She questioned the last sentence of 9.03 Attending Conferences, Other Meetings, which she felt reinforced the idea that councilors could vote their conscience and were not bound to be consistent with council policies. Mr. Kelly agreed that his motion to reinstate the language of 9. 03 Attending Conferences, Other Meetings was in conflict with some of the comments from councilors and said his expectation was that staff would develop revised language to express the council's intent. He said his purpose in restoring the language was to simplify the issue on an interim basis and restore some protection in terms of requiring representatives to report council policy. He said he preferred to adopt new language at a January 2005 process session rather than attempting to ';wordsmith" new language at the meeting. He clarified that the new language should specify that representatives to intergovernmental bodies would need to confer with the council only when there was an adopted council policy at issue. He encouraged councilors to inform the council in advance, whenever possible, of any major changes or policy decisions that were going to be considered by another body on which they served. Mr. Meisner agreed that revised language was necessary, but encouraged the restoration of existing 9. 03 Attending Conferences, Other Meetings section language until new language could be adopted. He expressed frustration with the lack of information about LOC and NLC legislative direction or lobbying activities requested reports beyond the monthly LOC and weekly NLC publications that would update the council on those activities. Ms. Nathanson said the NLC weekly publication contained updated information on proposed resolutions and priorities for lobbying prior meetings and action by the NLC board and was perhaps a better source of current information than the City's representatives. She hoped that further discussion could be held at a future process meeting on the perceived difference between a councilor's participation in NLC activities and participation on a body to which he or she was appointed. She said it was not possible for a councilor to always make statements or vote in a manner that would satisfy all members of the council and the mayor. Ms. Nathanson observed that there was dissatisfaction with the disparity between LOC's lobbying activities and the City's position on some issues and suggested that staff report not only on activities that were in consistent with the City's interests, but also on the successes. MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 8, 2004 Page 5 Process Session