HomeMy WebLinkAboutCitizen Review Board - Minutes - 09/15/1999ends Citizens Review Board
Regular Meeting
9/15/99, 6:30 p.m.
200 West Mountain
Rick Aulino, Sam Blanco, Brian Carroll, Donald Colby, Monica Garcia, Becky
Richardson, Carole Stansfield, Hal Dean -Staff Liaison, Greg Tempel -City Attorney's
Office, Chuck Wanner -Council Liaison
Agenda topics
Approval of Minutes
Meeting Recorder
Meeting Location
Absences
Review By -Laws
FORT COLLINS CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
A regular meeting of the Fort Collins Citizen Review Board was held on September 15,
1999 at 6:30 p.m. in the Human Resources Conference Room, 200 West Mountain, Fort
Collins. Present at this meeting were Vice -Chair Becky Richardson and committee
members Rick Aulino, Monica Garcia and Carole Stansfield. Also present were Council
Liaison Chuck Wanner, Assistant City Attorney Greg Tempel, and Staff Liaison Lt. Hal
Dean.
Meeting Recorder: Sue Preston, present to take meeting minutes, was introduced. li
was noted that a City staff person will be available to take minutes at future meetings.
Meeting Location: Regular meetings of the board will be held on the 3`d Wednesday of
each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Human Resources Conference Room, 200 West
Mountain.
Approval of Minutes: Committee members reviewed the minutes of last month's
regular meeting. Assistant City Attorney Greg Tempel noted that the word "council",
used in a couple instances on page 2 of those minutes, should be amended to read
"counsel". Rick Aulino made a motion to approve the minutes with the noted
amendments; the motion was seconded and carried 4-0. Becky Richardson, Vice -Chair,
signed the minutes.
Absences: The issue of unexcused absences was then discussed. The City Code
provides that three consecutive absences in any calendar year that are not approved by
the board chair may result in dismissal of that board member. As of this meeting, two
members have missed either mandated training or up to three consecutive meetings.
Council Liaison Wanner recommended that an effort be made to remind members of
their commitment to the board, the importance of the meetings and training, and the
appropriate process to follow to excuse an absence. Then, if attendance of a board
member continues to be a problem, the board can report that to the City Council and
request to have that board member replaced. The committee members agreed that the
process for excusing absences in the future will be to notify Chair Don Colby or Vice -
Chair Richardson. The parameters of what constitutes an excused absence will be
added to the agenda for the next meeting. Becky Richardson will contact Don Colby
with the request that he contact and work with committee members Sam Blanco and
Brian Carroll to ensure they complete the training missed, to explain the procedure to
excuse absences, and to encourage them to make the meetings/training a priority.
Approval of Subcommittee Minutes: Rick Aulino distributed the minutes from the
September 14 Review Subcommittee meeting. Monica Garcia made a motion to
approve the minutes as written; the motion was seconded and carried 4-0.
Minutes: CRB Regular Mee Ping •
September 15, 1999
Page Two
Case Findings: Rick Aulino distributed a copy of the draft memorandum of finding for
I.A. #99-30 for review. Greg Tempel advised that "Confidential" should be added to the
top of the memo. Becky Richardson will hand -deliver the finalized memo to City
Manager John Fischbach and Chief Dennis Harrison; carbon copies will be mailed to
Chuck Wanner, Greg Tempel and board members.
Board members then discussed the issue of a press release and what information
should be contained therein. Greg Tempel advised Rick Aulino to contact Kelly
DiMartino, the City's press liaison, for advice in drafting a release, and requested that
Greg have an opportunity to review the release prior to its issuance. The release should
reference only the case number, type of violation and whether or not the board found
the investigation to be sufficient and accurate. It should not mention names or
recommended discipline.
The board questioned whether they should be seeing police staffs recommendation for
discipline, or if the information given them should be limited to whether or not the
complaint was sustained. Greg Tempel advised that this decision would rest with Chief
Harrison; however, he recommended the board be given only information as to whether
or not the allegation was sustained.
Review of By-laws: Rick Aulino made a motion to table discussion of the by-laws until
next month's regular meeting; the motion was seconded and carried 4-0.
Name Drawing for Case Review Subcommittee Members: Rick Aulino made a
motion that the random drawing for case review subcommittee members be held in
public, rather than being conducted over the telephone. At present, the ordinance states
that the Chair will conduct a random drawing, but does not specify how that drawing is
to be conducted. After some discussion, the board members decided to request the
ordinance be amended to direct the City Clerk's Office to post 24 hour public notice and
conduct the drawings for subcommittee members publicly in the City Clerk's Office. All
seven names will be drawn, and the order in which the names are drawn will be noted
to allow for any potential conflicts. Greg Tempel said it would probably be November
before such an amendment could go through first and second reading and become
effective. Board members requested that Greg Tempel draft an amendment for the
board's review. Rick Aulino made an amended motion that, until such time as the
ordinance can be changed, the Chair conduct the drawings in the lobby of City Hall with
a witness present, and that the secretary to the committee post a public notice 24 hours
in advance of said drawing and attempt to advise the complainant of the drawing via
telephone. The motion was seconded and carried 4-0.
The board requested Greg Tempel incorporate the motion into the by-laws for the board
to consider at next month's regular meeting. Iftwhen the ordinance is passed by City
Council, the by-laws can be amended to reflect that change.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:40 p.m.