HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Ad Hoc Boards and Commissions Committee - 04/05/2023 -4/5/2023 – Minutes Page 1
Minutes
Ad Hoc Committee for Boards and Commissions
April 05, 2023 – 4:00 PM
CIC Conference Room, City Hall, 300 Laporte Ave & via Zoom at
https://fcgov.zoom.us/j/95850905777
Remote Participation Available
A) Call Meeting to Order
4:04 PM
B) Roll Call
Committee Members Present: Emily Francis (Chair), Julie Pignataro, Tricia Canonico
Staff Members Present: Davina Lau, Rupa Venkatesh, Jenny Lopez-Filkins, Teresa Roche, Claudia
Menendez
Members of the Public: Kelly Ohlson, Emily Gallichotte, Kevin Jones, Jessica Jones, Amani
Chamberlin, Ann Marie Sharratt
C) Approval of Minutes
1. Consideration and approval of the minutes of March 1, 2023.
The purpose of this item is to approve the draft minutes of the March 1, 2023, Ad Hoc
Committee for Boards and Commissions meeting.
Committee Member Julie Pignataro moved to approve the March 1, 2023
minutes. Committee Member Tricia Canonico seconded. The motion was
adopted unanimously.
D) Discussion / Informational Items
2. Review and discuss the progress of the Ad Hoc Committee so far, review what requires
Council approval, discuss the evaluation of boards, and discuss board member
composition options.
The purpose of this item is to review and discuss what the Ad Hoc Committee has
accomplished up until this point, as well as to review items that require Council approval,
discuss the evaluation of boards, and to consider options for board member composition.
Discussion Highlights: Rupa Venkatesh, Assistant City Manager, provided an overview
of the accomplishments of the Committee, reviewed items that will require full Council
consideration as well as a timeline for that, and outlined board evaluation and board
member composition information.
Assistant City Manager Venkatesh outlined the possible ways a board could be formed or
eliminated and discussed the new piece which will provide for the Public Engagement
Specialist, Davina Lau, to provide an annual work session update on Boards and
Commissions to Council which would include information from pulse check surveys,
feedback from members, feedback from staff liaisons, and looking through the annual
work plans. Committee members discussed the items that should be discussed at those
4/5/2023 – Minutes Page 2
annual work sessions and how evaluations of Boards should occur. Assistant City
Manager Venkatesh discussed questions Council should consider when adding a Board.
Committee members concurred there should be two separate question processes for
adding or eliminating a Board.
Assistant City Manager Venkatesh outlined the questions related to board member
composition: how to transition the one-year term seats and why some boards have seven
members and others have nine. She outlined the current Code language related to one-
year terms and discussed options for allocating those seats for seven and nine member
boards. Committee members determined the best option.
Assistant City Manager Venkatesh outlined the options for addressing the number of
members on boards. Staff Member Lau noted type 2 boards make decisions on the
allocation of funds; therefore, having nine members does allow for evening out the
decision-making power among the board. Committee members opted to not make a
decision on changing the number of members. Committee Member Pignataro suggested
the possibility of allowing for a nine member board to come down to seven members if
there are quorum issues. Similarly, Chair Francis suggested seven member boards could
be increased to nine during review if there are many qualified candidates.
3. Review and discuss the updated Respectful Workplace Policy.
The purpose of this item is to review and discuss changes that have been made to the
Respectful Workplace Policy.
Discussion Highlights: Rupa Venkatesh, Assistant City Manager, stated the Respectful
Workplace Policy governs illegal activities.
Teresa Roche, Human Resources Executive, outlined the process that led to the
Respectful Workplace Policy and discussed some of the recent updates, noting none of
the changes are substantive.
Committee Member Pignataro questioned whether the title of the policy should be
narrowed. Roche replied staff realized ‘workplace’ was a bit of a misconception after the
policy was published and stated altering the title could occur per the direction of the
Committee. She also clarified this Policy governs illegal activities only and therefore
would not address things such as bullying, a word which has been used by some Boards
and Commissions members.
Committee Member Pignataro encouraged staff to look at possibilities for a title change to
the policy.
4. Review and discuss the Draft Code of Conduct and formal Complaint Process.
The purpose of this item is to review and discuss the draft Code of Conduct as well as the
formal Complaint process that accompanies it.
Discussion Highlights: Rupa Venkatesh, Assistant City Manager, stated the Code of
Conduct governs behavior. She discussed the examples of harassment in the Code of
Conduct noting some of those could be considered bullying.
Staff Member Davina Lau commented on wording in the Code of Conduct which focuses
on making it clear that everyone has the right to express their thoughts without feeling
threatened or judged. She stated an avenue to report behavior and express concerns is
present and if an individual on a Board or Commission is found to have violated the Code
of Conduct, that person can be removed from the Board.
4/5/2023 – Minutes Page 3
Committee members concurred the Code of Conduct should apply to all Council
members, not just the liaisons.
Chair Francis commented on the need to include rules of procedure for meetings
attended by Council members given Council members are not to influence Boards. Staff
Member Lau replied she did include some of that information in the onboarding materials.
Staff Member Lau noted every Board and Commission member will be required to sign
the Code of Conduct.
Committee members made suggestions to wording of specific items in the draft language.
Kelly Ohlson commented on the importance of not limiting discussion and debate and
stated he might not support this language as is given everyone has differing acceptance
levels of conflict. He asked about the inclusion of language stating ‘to respect and
support the legitimacy and authority of all decisions regardless of personal position on the
matter.’ Staff Member Lau replied that item is addressing action being taken through a
motion and a vote and, once that occurs, the decision is set.
Committee Member Pignataro supported the inclusion of the language.
Assistant City Manager Venkatesh discussed the complaint process noting there is still a
question as to whether the member who is the subject of the complaint should be notified
right away. She stated the City Attorney’s Office will determine whether an investigation
is warranted, and if so, that Office is responsible for conducting the investigation and
issuing the written findings of fact and conclusions to Council.
Chair Francis asked if an individual who files a complaint must cite a specific document
related to the complaint or if that individual can just explain a situation. Claudia
Menendez, Diversity Equity Inclusion Office, replied her office can help to provide
information related to any applicable citation.
Committee Members commented on the Ethics Committee process and its relationship to
this process.
Assistant City Manager Venkatesh discussed the options held by Council should a Code
of Conduct violation be sustained, including verbal or written warnings, corrective training,
requiring the violator to issue a written or verbal apology, or removing the violator from
the Board or Commission depending on severity of the violation. It was clarified the
removal would need to be considered by the full Council.
Committee Member Pignataro asked if violations against staff liaisons take a different
track. Staff Member Lopez-Filkins replied staff liaisons would be covered by personnel
policies if they are accused of a violation; however, the Code of Conduct could apply if a
staff liaison is being bullied by a Board member, for example.
5. Review and approve updates to the duties of Council Liaisons.
The purpose of this item is to review and approve updates to Resolution 2016-039 regarding the
duties of Council Liaisons.
Discussion Highlights: Rupa Venkatesh, Assistant City Manager, discussed the Resolution
that outlines the Council liaison role. She noted the Committee discussion led to the removal of
references to periodic reviews, the addition of a clarification that the role of the Council liaison is
4/5/2023 – Minutes Page 4
to identify and help resolve any problems, but with the support of the Clerk’s Office, City
Manager’s Office, and staff liaison, the removal of a reference to the Council liaison providing
training, and an update to the joint meeting Code language to require the Council liaison to
approve any joint meetings, not the full Council. She outlined additional questions to consider,
including a possible diversity consideration and standardized questions for interviews.
Chair Francis suggested having a ‘suggested questions for interviews’ document could be
helpful; however, she questioned whether that should be added to the resolution language.
Assistant City Manager Venkatesh commented on making the Council liaison language part of
the Code rather than in a resolution. She stated staff would return with pros and cons of each
approach.
E) Review of Upcoming Calendar
Assistant City Manager Venkatesh outlined topics for discussion at the May meeting, including
following up on outstanding items, recruitment efforts to expand diversity, and reviewing the scope of
work for the Youth Advisory Board.
Committee members discussed other topics of discussion.
Assistant City Manager Venkatesh and Committee Members discussed options for June and July
meeting dates.
F) Adjournment
5:56 PM
Next Scheduled Committee Meeting: 4:00 PM, May 3, 2023
Upon request, the City of Fort Collins will provide language access services for individuals who have limited
English proficiency, or auxiliary aids and services for individuals with disabilities, to access City services,
programs and activities. Contact 970.221.6515 (V/TDD: Dial 711 for Relay Colorado) for
assistance. Please provide advance notice. Requests for interpretation at a meeting should be made by
noon the day before.
A solicitud, la Ciudad de Fort Collins proporcionará servicios de acceso a idiomas para personas que no
dominan el idioma inglés, o ayudas y servicios auxiliares para personas con discapacidad, para que
puedan acceder a los servicios, programas y actividades de la Ciudad. Para asistencia, llame al
970.221.6515 (V/TDD: Marque 711 para Relay Colorado). Por favor proporcione aviso previo cuando
sea posible. Las solicitudes de interpretación en una reunión deben realizarse antes del mediodía del
día anterior.
Approved by a vote of the committee on: May 3, 2023