2000-04-29 Charter Commission Minutes

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Transcript of Meeting of April 29, 2000Page 24 of 64 came in, and what they did was they said if the Planning Commission is decision making then the SMA’s will go to the Planning Commission. If not, it stays with the Council. And I cannot find any place in here where they’re decision making except that which was given to them by the State, or acquiesced by the Council. And my position on that is as follows: You can delegate authority but you cannot delegate responsibility. Legislative and policy making decisions are reserved entirely and completely unto the Council. That’s right in that Charter, right in the beginning. Legislative Research Office. I think that’d be too confusing. I think you ought to take that off of there. I understand the intent, and thank you for trying to work on that, but I think it may be too confusing. Holdover of members on Board and Commissions. I think this is not a good idea, and the reason I think it’s not a good idea is that it gives the Executive, whether current or future, the power to hold this over longer instead of just actually making the decision. And as you may have seen over the years, there’s a lot of musical chairs involved in the Boards and Commissions. People just move from this one, that one, over here, this one, that one, and I know some of you have been in that situation. I’m making an observation, not a criticism. I think there are many, many competent people in the community and we should be very careful about having this revolving chair thing that just moves around here. And as you know, some of these people were inappropriately appointed and therefore, rejected because they were not in accordance with the law. So I would be real careful about that. Safety Coordinator. I think this is a good move. What can I say? I think you all know what that situation is. The Planning Commission powers. Pull this thing before it sees any more light of day because they do not have those powers except as the Council has acquiesced, as I said. 11. I’m sorry, I got confused on number 6. Planning Department functions. I’m sorry, I called that the Planning Commission. Planning Department functions, I think, just leave that the way it is. I mean don’t put that forward. I think it’s too confusing. Qualifications of Heads of Departments. RAY: You missed the Planning Department change which is the Charter change which would allow the reorganization, that Division of Permitting concept. TYLER: The Planning Department Function. Yes, right. No, and I think – Some of it go in the Department of Public Works. RAY: It would allow that to happen without a future Charter change. It wouldn’t mandate it happening. So you’re speaking against that? TYLER: I think that maybe it’s one more thing that the voters don’t need to consider this time. There are many more important functions. And I’m sorry I didn’t do more research on that. RAY: No, no, they’re confusing the way they’re laid out. TYLER: When I saw Planning I automatically was thinking of the Planning Commission powers, so I jumped ahead. I’m sorry. Qualifications of Heads of Departments. I agree with the previous testimony. file://\\coh01\cohweb\council\charter_commission\minutes\minutes 04-29-00.html7/1/2011