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minutes 01-15-00Page 24 of 59 <br />SANTANGELO: I was curious when Marni brought up something because it is true that architects and architect stamps come <br />with a liability. The contractors, to get their license, have to pass a test, and understand what the rules and the laws are. So, <br />they’re supposed to be able to build safely from plans that are approved by a person that knows how to design safely. <br />RAY: Like I said, this is not permitting. That still stays. <br />SANTANGELO: Right, but she talked about permitting. And it seems like permitting is a redundancy, so did somebody <br />suggest that fact that we could get rid of permitting? Because that’s what caught my attention. <br />HERKES: That might be a long range goal, but it’s probably not something you’re going to be able to do in the Charter at <br />this time. <br />SANTANGELO: You could pass it. You bet you could pass it. <br />HIGASHI: So, do you want to discourage any discussion at this time? <br />HERKES: No, we can have a discussion, but I’m not sure that we can get rid of permitting per se. <br />RAY: Wait. Let’s focus on this Department of Public Safety. And one of the functions under the Lexington model is the <br />inspection and enforcing zoning ordinances, and under our current system, that might not be a bad idea as far as the <br />responsibility of that function, but anyway, Gary. <br />YOSHIYAMA: Marni, did you say something about Commissions? What was your proposal, or wanting us to think about? <br />HERKES: Well, you’d still have Commissions under this. You’d have a Police Commission and a Fire Commission, and I <br />think those are the only two that have Commissions, would be under this. Would just be under a different department. <br />YOSHIYAMA: As I look at the present Charter, our Charter, we’ve got Fire, Police, and Public Works under the Managing <br />Director, presently. <br />HERKES: The Police is under the Mayor. Believe me, I did it. That’s one of my problems. <br />YOSHIYAMA: Okay, sorry. Who would be over the Department of Public Safety? Would that be the Managing Director? <br />HERKES: I would suggest the Managing Director. <br />YOSHIYAMA: Okay. <br />HERKES: We haven’t had that discussion yet, but I would suggest it would be under that. I forgot to mention, also, that <br />Sharron made up this wonderful Henry County Department of Public Safety, which actually is a County Department. When I <br />read it, I thought, oh look, Sharron’s made this up. Wonderful. But they have a Public Safety Staff, and they have <br />descriptions of their whole staff, and it actually is in Virginia. It’s actually in Virginia. But, there are Public Safety <br />Departments. <br />RAY: Ginger. <br />TOWLE: I was very happy to hear Marni mention Animal Control under the Safety Committee because it’s floundering <br />around all over. It used to be under the Police Department until 1991, and then Harry Takahashi made a recommendation, <br />when he was Legislative Auditor, that it seemed to be basically a financial problem, so it then went under the Finance <br />Committee, and it isn’t working. It really is not working. I spent about an hour talking to the Mayor yesterday. There’s no <br />reviews. There’s no nothing. There’s no animal control. It definitely needs a home where someone is really evaluating the job <br />being done, as well as the financial end of it. And so, someone needs it and no one wants it so it would be nice to have a <br />home where someone is interested in reviewing it and making sure they did the job right. <br />RAY: Further discussion on this proposed Department of Public Safety? George. <br />file://\\coh01\cohweb\council\charter_commission\minutes\minutes 01-15-00.html7/1/2011 <br /> <br />