AND TO ADJUST THINGS FOR THE WAY THINGS WILL BE MOVING FORWARD.
[*Meeting Joined in Progress* WORK SESSION AGENDA]
[00:00:04]
SO, I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO HIGHLIGHT OTHER THAN THE ACTIONS NECESSARY BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON ITS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.THE ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT'S GOING TO NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IS THAT THERE'S NOW A VACANCY ON THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AS COUNCILMAN DEFFIBAUGH RESIGNED FROM HIS POSITION ON THAT BODY AS REQUIRED BY THE CHARTER, SINCE THE CHARTER DOESN'T ALLOW SIMULTANEOUS SERVICE ON ANY BOARD OR COMMISSION FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S HOLDING ANY ELECTIVE OFFICE, INCLUDING THAT OF CITY COUNCIL.
SO THAT IS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
WE'RE ALSO PLANNING ON IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS, HOPEFULLY AT THE JANUARY MEETING, BRINGING BEFORE YOU REVISED BYLAWS TO TRY TO GET THEM ALL UNIFORM SO THAT THEY MOSTLY MIRROR EACH OTHER EXCEPT FOR THOSE INTENTIONAL, DELIBERATE DIFFERENCES THAT YOU GUYS WANT THERE TO BE DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY THAT THOSE BODIES ARE HANDLED, BUT GETTING THEIR BYLAWS IN LINE WITH THE CHARTER PROVISIONS AND THE CITY'S HOME RULE STATUS. I CAN CERTAINLY START WALKING THROUGH DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE TRANSITION IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT FIRST I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT YOU ALL WANTED TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT OR WANTED US TO ADDRESS OR HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS TRANSITION WOULD BE CARRIED OUT. THANK YOU, DAVID.
I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS THE LAST MEETING, AND MR. OBERA HAD BROUGHT THIS UP AS WELL.
I THINK WE ALL JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE OPERATING UNDER THE SAME KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT OUR ROLE AND CAPACITY IS MOVING FORWARD UNDER THE CHARTER SO THAT WE'RE ALL IN COMPLIANCE, AND THEN I HAD EMAILED YOU PREVIOUSLY ON THIS AS WELL ON THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU HAD SENT OVER TO US, JUST ABOUT MY ROLE AND HOW THAT'S CHANGED TOO.
SO IF THAT'S INCLUDED IN WHAT YOU PLAN TO GIVE US TONIGHT, GREAT.
OTHERWISE, I JUST THINK WE NEED A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO, MAYOR, I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHICH EMAIL YOU'RE REFERENCING IN TERMS OF YOUR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE TRANSITIONAL ROLE.
I'LL FORWARD IT BACK OVER TO YOU AND YOU CAN LOOK AT IT AND WE CAN TALK OFFLINE ON IT, BUT AGAIN, I MEAN, JUST AS AN OVERVIEW, JUST TO SEE WHAT SPECIFICALLY WE CAN AND CANNOT DO. LIKE, I KNOW PERSONNEL MATTERS HAS CHANGED.
COUNCIL CANNOT APPROACH A PERSONNEL MATTER.
THAT SPECIFICALLY IS FOR MR. BORG. SO IF YOU DON'T MIND JUST REITERATING TO COUNSEL SPECIFICALLY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE MOVING FORWARD.
SURE, SO THE PREVIOUS HIERARCHY IN THE CITY PERSONNEL IN TERMS OF CHAIN OF COMMAND FOR ITS ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE HAD THE MAYOR AS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT THE TOP OF THE PYRAMID.
THAT IS, BY STATE LAW TYPE A, MUNICIPALITIES MUST HAVE THE MAYOR SERVING AS THEIR CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER UNLESS THEY ADOPT THE CITY MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT AS A TYPE A CITY.
CITY OF PRINCETON NEVER DID THAT.
SO WHILE WE HAD HIRED A CITY MANAGER WHO WAS THE TOP ADMINISTRATOR OF THE CITY AND CARRIED THE TITLE OF CITY MANAGER, ULTIMATELY WHAT THE CITY MANAGER WAS DOING WAS EXERCISING THE MAYOR'S DUTIES THROUGH DELEGATION.
THE CITY COUNCIL HAD ESSENTIALLY SAID ALL THESE JOB TASKS THAT ARE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MAYOR TO PERFORM AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER SHALL BE ACTUALLY PERFORMED BY OUR EMPLOYEE, THE CITY MANAGER, SUBJECT TO THE MAYOR'S SUPERVISION.
THAT FINAL LAYER OF MAYORAL SUPERVISION IS FORMALLY ELIMINATED.
NOW THAT WE ARE A HOME RULE CITY, THE CITY MANAGER BECOMES WHERE THE BUCK STOPS ON ALL MATTERS RELATING TO PERSONNEL, ADMINISTRATION AND THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF THE CITY.
THE MAYOR NO LONGER HAS THAT ROLE OF SUPERVISION AND OVERSIGHT IMPOSE OVER EACH OF THE CITY MANAGER'S DUTIES, WHERE THE MAYOR WAS ULTIMATELY THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE JOB DONE.
NOW IT IS MORE WHAT THE CITY WAS TRYING TO EMULATE AS A GENERAL LAW CITY.
WELL, NOW IT'S ACTUALLY OUR SETUP WHERE THAT REMOVES ALL THE EMPLOYMENT AND PERSONNEL MATTERS, HOPEFULLY AWAY FROM THE POLITICAL PROCESS, MAKES THEM NON-POLITICAL ISSUES, LETS THEM BE EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP ISSUES.
WHILE THIS BODY STILL EXERCISES CONTROL AND SUPERVISION OVER CITY MANAGEMENT THROUGH ITS ORDINANCES, THROUGH ADOPTION OF PERSONNEL POLICIES, AND THROUGH, OF COURSE, THE SELECTION AND ASSIGNMENT OF JOB DUTIES TO THE CITY MANAGER.
[00:05:06]
DECISIONS, NOT DETERMINING PROMOTIONS, THAT THOSE SORTS OF THINGS ARE ALL GOING TO BE HANDLED PURELY BY THE CITY MANAGER MOVING FORWARD.DID THAT ADDRESS THE THE MAIN ISSUE OF CONCERN FOR YOU? I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALSO COUNCIL WAS AWARE THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE APPROACHING EMPLOYEES AT THIS POINT.
SO IF THERE IS AN ISSUE, THAT DOES NEED TO GO DIRECTLY TO MR. BORG AND NOT APPROACHING THE EMPLOYEES.
YES, UNDER THE HOME RULE FORM OF GOVERNMENT, THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD NOT BE INTERACTING DIRECTLY WITH THE EMPLOYEES IN AN EFFORT TO SHAPE THEIR BEHAVIOR OR CHANGE THE WAY THAT CITY BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS RELATING TO A SPECIFIC EMPLOYEE OR AN EMPLOYEE, COMES TO YOU WITH CONCERNS, YOU CAN CERTAINLY BE RECEPTIVE TO THAT, BUT ANY SORT OF CITY ACTION OR RESPONSE TO TO AN EMPLOYMENT ISSUE WOULD NEED TO BE HANDLED THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT HOPEFULLY THIS WON'T IN ANY WAY IMPEDE OR INFRINGE YOUR ABILITY TO HAVE GENERAL CONVERSATIONS.
I MEAN, THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, AND CERTAINLY WE WANT BUSINESS TO RUN AS USUAL.
I THINK THIS IS MORE IN THE LINE OF DIRECTION OF WORK OR DIRECTION OF DUTIES OF THAT NATURE AND IT HAS IT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE AT TIMES OVER THE YEARS WHERE THE POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT HAS GOTTEN IN THE WAY OF SOME HUMAN RESOURCES OR OR PERSONNEL ISSUES.
SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING ULTIMATELY, AND IT WILL HELP SHAPE THE THE THE MANAGEMENT IN THE BETTER WAY, BUT BUT I DON'T WANT THAT TO INFRINGE UPON YOUR ABILITY TO BEFRIEND OR JUST HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR EMPLOYEES.
I THINK IT'S VERY BENEFICIAL FOR THE GOVERNING BODY TO KNOW AND APPRECIATE WHO WORKS IN THE CITY FOR SURE. TO KIND OF CARRY ON AND PIGGYBACK OFF WHAT DEREK JUST SAID.
WELL, ONE OF THE OTHER FUNCTIONS THAT THE CHARTER PROVISIONS AND THE RELATED PERSONNEL POLICIES WILL MAKE CLEAR AND WHEN THE FUNCTIONS THEY SERVE IS TO GIVE THE EMPLOYEES CLARITY ON HOW THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CITY COUNCIL WORKS.
I NEED TO DO THIS STUFF IMMEDIATELY.
HOWEVER, THAT KIND OF INVOLVEMENT FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS AND LOWER LEVEL EMPLOYEES WOULD INTERFERE WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S ABILITY TO ADMINISTRATE ALL THE CITY AFFAIRS ON THE WHOLE IN ORDER TO BUDGET HIS LIMITED RESOURCES IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHAT CITY COUNCIL HAS DIRECTED HIM TO DO AND COULD CAUSE OTHER TYPES OF CONFUSION, PARTICULARLY IF THE ONE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO BENDS THE EAR OF THE EMPLOYEE HAS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAN THE REST OF THIS BODY DOES.
SO IN ORDER TO INSULATE THE EMPLOYEES FROM POTENTIALLY CONFLICTING ORDERS OR FROM CONFUSION OR PARALYSIS IN THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHO TO LISTEN TO. THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE CLEAR POLICIES SET UP IN PLACE WHERE IT INDICATES THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WILL MAKE ITS PREFERENCES KNOWN DURING MEETINGS, THROUGH MOTIONS, THE RESOLUTIONS AND ADOPTIONS OF POLICIES RATHER THAN DIRECT DIRECTION, GIVING EXPRESS DIRECTION ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS TO INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES.
SO THE FIRST THING THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE IS BEING AN ORDINANCE THAT'S GOING TO BE PASSED THAT'S KIND OF VERY BROADLY AS ONE OF ITS COMPONENTS.
I'M CALLING IT AN OMNIBUS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO COVER A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT TOPICS ALL AT ONCE AGAIN, BUT ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS IT'S GOING TO DO IS MENTION THAT WE'RE TRYING FOR CONTINUITY AND THE OVERRIDING OBJECTIVE OF THE ENTIRE TRANSITION IS TO KEEP EVERYTHING AS SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE AND HAVE A SEAMLESS TRANSITION.
[00:10:08]
TYPE A GENERAL LAW CITY.WELL, WE ALL KNOW THAT THAT WILL BE OUT OF DATE NOW, BUT RATHER THAN GOING BACK AND AMENDING EVERY SINGLE DOCUMENT THAT HAS THOSE WORDS APPEAR IN IT WE'LL JUST ADOPT AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYS BROADLY, ALL OF OUR PAST STUFF WILL BE CONSTRUED AS IF IT REFERENCES PRINCETON BEING HOME RULE AS OF THE DATE OF THE CHARTER ADOPTION.
THAT'S JUST KIND OF A GENERAL GLOBAL HOUSECLEANING ITEM.
NOW THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A HICCUP THAT STAFF HAS IDENTIFIED WITH THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SET UP AS WE'VE GOT RIGHT NOW, MOST OF THE CITY'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, IF NOT ALL OF THEM, HAVE THE APPOINTEES SERVING IN DEFINED TERMS. THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SERVING A TERM OF PERIOD OF TIME THAT THEIR SERVICE WILL EXTEND TO.
MOST OF THOSE ARE SET BY THEIR BYLAWS PRESENTLY TO BE TWO YEARS IN LENGTH, WHICH FOR A LITTLE WHILE HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT STRANGE BECAUSE THE COUNCIL MEMBER TERMS HAD BEEN EXTENDED TO THREE YEARS AND SO THAT ALREADY HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A STAGGERING EFFECT ON ON HOW THOSE POSITIONS WERE HANDLED BUT ALSO, AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, IT PRESENTED SOME CHALLENGES WHEN THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THE OFFICE HOLDERS.
WE HOLD OUR ELECTIONS GENERALLY IN NOVEMBER, SO A NEW CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD COME INTO PLACE AND AFTER THE ELECTION WAS CANVASED AND OFTEN BE SWORN IN NOVEMBER OF A GIVEN YEAR, BUT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY READY THE FIRST DATE THAT THEY'RE SWORN IN TO NOMINATE AND PRESENT APPOINTEES FOR TO REPLACE THE ONES WHOSE TERMS WERE SUPPOSED TO EXPIRE AT THE SAME TIME THAT THEIR PREDECESSORS TERM EXPIRED AND IT SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE BIT UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD.
SO WHAT CITY STAFF IS PROPOSING BE THE PLAN MOVING FORWARD IS TO DESIGNATE THE TERMS OF ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND ALL THE BOARDS TO BE A CALENDAR YEAR EXTENDING JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER, WHEREAS THE OFFICE HOLDERS ARE GOING TO BE SERVING THEIR TERMS BASED ON ELECTION DATE CYCLES.
SO THAT WOULD MEAN THAT WE'D HAVE A NEW CITY COUNCIL MEMBER COME IN NOVEMBER AND THEN BE SWORN IN, AND THEN THEY WOULD HAVE A MONTH OR TWO OR AT LEAST SIX WEEKS OR SO TO GET THEIR FEET UNDER THEM, LEARN HOW THE PROCESS WORKS, IDENTIFY PEOPLE THAT THEY WANT TO NOMINATE FOR ANY POSITIONS THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO MAKE A NOMINATION FOR, AND THEN TO HAVE THOSE PEOPLE BE PUT IN PLACE IN EARLY JANUARY AT THE FIRST COUNCIL MEETING THERE.
DOES THAT GIVE ANY CONCERN TO ANY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL MOVING FORWARD ON THAT BASIS WHERE THE TERMS WOULD BE ALMOST WITHOUT EXCEPTION, I THINK THEY'D ALL BE TWO YEARS IN LENGTH.
SO WITH A FOUR YEAR COUNCIL MEMBER TERM, YOU WOULD HAVE TO RE-UP IF YOU WANTED THE SAME PERSON TO SERVE, BUT DOES THAT APPROACH OF HAVING THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SERVE TERMS THAT ARE DEFINED BY CALENDAR YEAR STARTING IN JANUARY SEEM ACCEPTABLE TO THE COUNCIL? I THINK THAT'S A WISE MOVE, AND THEN I DON'T KNOW, GENTLEMEN, IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO LISTEN TO THE EDC AND THE CDC MEETINGS, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY HAD TALKED ABOUT AS WELL THAT THEY HAD AGREED WITH WAS THE TWO YEAR TERM.
IT SOUNDED GOOD TO THEM. IT SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.
DAVID, ONE THING JUST TO POINT OUT, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LITTLE BIT ROUGH BECAUSE, OF COURSE, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, WE ONLY HAVE ONE MEETING, AND SO THAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE CONSTRAINED TO HAVE A NEW COUNCIL MEMBER IDENTIFY SOMEONE FOR A BOARD.
SO MOVING ON, WE'RE GOING TO, OF COURSE, BE MAKING A VARIETY OF CHANGES TO THE PERSONNEL MANUAL.
WE'RE NOT PLANNING ON BRINGING THOSE IN THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE.
[00:15:01]
REFLECT ANY CHANGES THAT ARE NEEDED.SO THE ORDINANCE THAT'S IMMEDIATELY PLANNED WILL JUST DIRECT STAFF TO IMPLEMENT THOSE CHANGES AND BRING BACK A REVISED POLICY MANUAL FOR PURPOSES OF THE MAYORAL DUTIES OUTLINED IN THE PRINCETON MUNICIPAL CODE.
THOSE ARE GOING TO BE STREAMLINED.
THE EXISTING SECTION 2-50, WILL HAVE THE PARENT A THAT IT CURRENTLY NAMES THE MAYOR'S CHIEF EXECUTIVE WILL BE DELETED ALMOST IN ITS ENTIRETY.
WE'RE GOING TO TRIM THAT BACK DOWN BECAUSE THE CITY MANAGER IS NOW THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND A COUPLE OF MINOR COSMETIC EDITS MADE THERE, BUT ULTIMATELY, NOT MUCH HAS TO BE DONE IN TERMS OF ORDINANCES WITH RESPECT TO THE MAYOR, JUST CLEANING UP THAT DESIGNATION IN THE CURRENT MINIMAL CODE SECTIONS THAT ADDRESS THE MAYOR.
OTHER THAN THAT, THERE WON'T BE TOO MUCH ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
FOR PURPOSES OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE PRINCETON CODE CURRENTLY HAS PROVISIONS THAT DESCRIBE OUR ELECTION PROCESSES AS THEY EXIST TODAY.
THOSE HAVE BEEN OVERHAULED BY THE CHARTER.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEW ELECTION SCHEDULE.
THE COUNCIL TERMS WENT FROM THREE YEARS TO FOUR YEARS AND OTHER CHANGES LIKE THAT ARE IN PLACE.
SO THE ORDINANCES WILL BE AMENDED TO REFLECT THAT.
THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS ARE GOING TO BE DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHARTER AND THEN SPECIFY SOME AN ADDED REQUIREMENT THAT'S GOING TO BE RECOMMENDED FOR ENSURING THAT ALL APPLICANTS CLEARLY INDICATE ON THEIR APPLICATION FOR A PLACE ON THE BALLOT WHAT PLACE THEY SEEK, AND THEN LATER ON THAT'LL BE IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'LL BE FOR THE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GOING TO BE SUBJECT TO ONE OF THE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS FOR PURPOSES OF ELECTION. WE'LL ALSO ADD IN A PROVISION INTO THE MUNICIPAL CODE TO REFLECT THAT TERM LIMITS NOW EXIST IN THE CITY OF PRINCETON FOR THIS BODY, BOTH ON CONSECUTIVE TERMS OF SERVICE AND ON TOTAL LIFETIME CUMULATIVE SERVICE.
I WASN'T PLANNING ON OUTLINING THEM IN THE IN THE CODE EXPRESSLY SO MUCH AS JUST MAKING SURE THAT ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE POINTED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CHARTER TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TERM LIMITS.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE THE CITY MANAGER OR CITY ADMINISTRATOR POSITION IN THE CODE WAS CRAFTED VERY MUCH BEING MINDFUL OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A HOME RULE CITY THAT'S OPERATING UNDER THE COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALLY AND WHAT WE FORMERLY WERE, WHICH WAS A TYPE A DOING THE BEST IT COULD TO SIMULATE THAT SETUP.
SO HIS SECTION WILL HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF ITS PROVISIONS REFORMATTED AND EDITED TO REFLECT THAT HE NO LONGER HAS THAT LAYER OF SUPERVISION FROM THE MAYOR EXPRESSLY OVER VARIOUS JOB DUTIES, NOW THAT HE'S ALSO GOING TO BE THE CHIEF BUDGET OFFICER, WHEREAS THE MAYOR USED TO BE DESIGNATED WITH THAT OFFICIAL ROLE BY STATE LAW, THAT WILL NOW BE IN BOTH LAW AND IN FACT, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY MANAGER TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE DUTIES.
THERE HADN'T BEEN ANY OTHER REAL SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES, THOUGH, PLANNED TO ANY OF THE DUTIES OF THE CITY MANAGER OR ANY OTHER MUNICIPAL OFFICERS THAT ARE DESCRIBED IN YOUR CODE OF ORDINANCES.
IF THE COUNCIL HAS INTEREST IN MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE WAY THAT THOSE JOB DUTIES ARE DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN ANY MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES, WHETHER IT BE BETWEEN THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY SECRETARY OR SOME OTHER SUBORDINATE IN THE CITY, NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE PREFERENCES IN THAT WAY.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT THE CITY MANAGER TO BE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR, THAT YOU WANT HIM TO FURTHER DELEGATE OUT TO SOMEBODY ELSE, OR IF YOU WANT A DIFFERENT PERSON OTHER THAN THE CITY MANAGER TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE CURRENTLY LISTED AS HIS RESPONSIBILITIES, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT BECAUSE THIS GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASSIGN THOSE JOB DUTIES AS YOU SEE FIT.
[00:20:08]
CERTAIN JOB RESPONSIBILITIES AROUND, PARTICULARLY AT THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE PYRAMID OF THE CITY'S ORGANIZATIONAL TREE.THE CURRENT PLAN IS ALSO TO ELIMINATE MUNICIPAL OFFICES WHERE STATE LAW ALLOWS US TO.
THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE CITY SECRETARY, THE CITY TAX ASSESSOR AND COLLECTOR, THE CITY ENGINEER, AND THERE MAY BE A COUPLE OF OTHERS THAT SLIPPED MY MIND AT THE MOMENT.
THOSE OFFICER POSITIONS ARE STILL USEFUL AND THERE STILL WILL BE PEOPLE OCCUPYING THOSE ROLES WITHIN THE CITY STRUCTURE, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE MUNICIPAL OFFICES ANYMORE BECAUSE WE HAVE THE ABILITY AS A HOME RULE CITY TO JUST TURN THOSE PEOPLE BACK INTO REGULAR EMPLOYEES.
SO BY AND LARGE, WHEREVER STATE LAW ALLOWS US TO, THAT WILL BE THE CASE.
FOR EXAMPLE, MY OWN OFFICE OF CITY ATTORNEY IS UNDER TYPE A SCHEME, A MUNICIPAL OFFICE.
IT IS NOW GOING TO HAVE THAT STATUS REMOVED.
I AM NOW GOING TO JUST END UP BEING EFFECTIVELY THE CONTRACT LABOR THAT IS ASSIGNED AND APPOINTED TO SERVE AS A CITY ATTORNEY AND TO USE THAT TITLE.
BUT I'M NOT HAVING ANY SPECIAL STATUTORY STATUS AS A MUNICIPAL OFFICER.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT COMPONENT OF THE CHARTER TRANSITION, BEFORE I MOVE ON ? ALL RIGHT, THEN. SO, BY AND LARGE, THAT COVERS MOST OF THE ORDINANCE CHANGES THAT WILL BE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE TRANSITION TO HOME RULE.
WE'RE IN A GOOD POSITION IN THAT, THANKFULLY, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT MUST BE REWRITTEN OR REMOVED BECAUSE NOW WE CAN'T DO THEM.
IT WORKED THE OPPOSITE WAY, REALLY.
THE CITY GOT AN EXPANSION OF FLEXIBILITY AND VERSATILITY, SO BY AND LARGE, A LOT OF WHAT WE HAD ALREADY HAD IN PLACE CAN REMAIN AS IS, AND WE'RE TRYING TO LEAVE IT THAT WAY TO THE EXTENT WE CAN.
SO SOME OF THE OTHER MINOR ISSUES ARE JUST GOING TO BE STAFF ADJUSTMENTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE CHARTER, THE COMMISSION INCLUDED IN IT A REQUIREMENT THAT ALL ORDINANCES BE PUBLISHED ONLINE AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE, WITHIN 90 DAYS AFTER PASSAGE, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WHILE THE CITY WAS GENERALLY ATTEMPTING TO DO THAT, WELL, NOW THEY'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A HIGHER STANDARD OF PERFORMANCE DEMANDED OF IT BECAUSE IT'S NOW REQUIRED BY OUR CHARTER.
THERE'S ALSO A LONGER TERM PROJECT IN THAT THE CHARTER REQUIRES ALL OF OUR PAST ORDINANCES, EVERY ORDINANCE WE'VE EVER PASSED ON THE BOOKS TO BE MADE AVAILABLE IN AN ONLINE FORMAT WITHIN THREE YEARS OF NOVEMBER 2022.
SO THANKFULLY, THE CHARTER COMMISSION GAVE US A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET THAT THING ACCOMPLISHED.
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THOSE ARE STILL NOT EVEN IN ELECTRONIC FORM.
SOME OF OUR OLDER STUFF EXISTS IN PAPER ONLY AT THIS POINT.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE A PROCESS TO GET THAT DONE.
IT WILL LIKELY INVOLVE THE CITY HIRING SOME ADDITIONAL HELP SPECIFIC TO THAT TASK TO GET IT DONE IN A TIMELY AND EFFICIENT MANNER WITHOUT OVERBURDENING THE OTHER STAFF THAT STILL HAVE THEIR BACKGROUND DUTIES TO PERFORM, AND WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME ON THAT? THE CHARTER IMPOSES A DEADLINE OF THREE YEARS TO GET THAT FINISHED.
[00:25:05]
THINGS AT ONCE THAT COMES BEFORE YOU, AND I'M EXPECTING THAT TO BE READY AT LEAST THE STAGE ONE ORDINANCE TO BE READY, AT LEAST FOR THE JANUARY MEETING.SO YOU HAD ADVISED US THAT IF WE HAD ANY CHANGES, THAT NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
ARE YOU WANTING THOSE PRIOR TO THE JANUARY MEETING? THAT WOULD ABSOLUTELY BE THE IDEAL, THE OBJECTIVE IF THOSE CHANGES ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSED AT THAT MEETING.
SO THEN CAN WE PREPARE FOR YOU TO HAVE THOSE AT OUR SECOND JANUARY MEETING? THAT WAY, THE FIRST JANUARY MEETING, WE COULD GO TO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS THAT.
WE CAN DO IT ON THAT TIMETABLE.
THAT'S CERTAINLY WORKABLE BY ME.
PERFECT. THANK YOU. GENTLEMEN, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. WELL, NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
VERY THOROUGH OVERVIEW AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
IT'S MY PLEASURE. WELL, CERTAINLY FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT VIA EMAIL.
PLEASE COPY, DEREK, ON ANYTHING YOU'RE GOING TO SEND RELATING TO THIS TOPIC AND WE'LL TRY TO GET IT PREPARED FOR THAT JANUARY MEETING FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES, CERTAINLY FOR ANY CHANGES THAT ARE BEING SUGGESTED TO SHUFFLE THINGS AROUND FROM THE WAY THEY CURRENTLY EXIST AND WE'LL TAKE THINGS FROM THERE.
YOUR HONOR, I MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
ALL RIGHT, DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL RIGHT.
GUYS, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ABOUT A FIVE MINUTE BREAK BEFORE WE JUMP INTO OUR NEXT MEETING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.