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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 10/01/2002 - ITEMS RELATING TO COUNCIL EXPENDITURES, COUNCIL TR AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 18 A-C FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL DATE: October 1, 2002 STAFF: John Fischbach SUBJECT: Items Relating to Council Expenditures, Council Travel, and Council Electronic Mail. RECOMMENDATION: The Council Governance Committee recommends adoption of these Resolutions. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The Resolutions do not have any direct financial impact. Over time, however, the provisions of the Resolutions dealing with Council travel and expenditures may lead to closer evaluation of costs incurred by the Council which in turn may lead to lower spending levels. lip EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: A. Resolution 2002-091 Establishing Policies Regarding the Monitoring of Council Expenditures. B. Resolution 2002-092 Adopting a Travel, Conference, and Training Policy for City Council. C. Resolution 2002-093 Adopting a Policy for the Use, Management and Retention of Electronic Mail by the Mayor and City Council. Over the past few years, spending for the Council program has grown significantly and, earlier this year, the Mayor and Council received public comments encouraging closer monitoring of Council expenditures. The City's accounting system tracks expenditures through programs and the City Council constitutes one of these programs. Also, the Mayor and Councilmembers travel out of town to attend conferences, trainings, and committee meetings. The Mayor and Council attend these out of town meetings to become better prepared to do their job; to represent the community of Fort Collins; and to take part in the formal and informal networking from which the community of Fort Collins often benefits. The DATE: ITEM NUMBER: City benefits from having an educated electorate as well as Council representatives at numerous state, regional and national conferences. At its meetings on April 17 and July 16, 2002, the Council Governance Committee reviewed and discussed Council expenditures and the establishment of policies relating to Council travel and use of electronic mail. The Committee directed staff to prepare resolutions establishing policies for the monitoring of Council expenditures, and adopting travel policies that are similar to the policies that guide travel by general employees of the City. In addition, the Committee recommended Council adoption of a policy relating to the use of electronic mail that is similar to that which has been recently approved for employees. By adhering to these policies, the Mayor and Council will demonstrate its commitment as responsible stewards of City resources. Following is a summary of the key points in each draft policy: Council Expenditures • The staff of the City Manager's Office and the Finance Department will prepare a monthly expenditure report to summarize all spending in the Council program which is to be presented to the Mayor and each member of Council. • When possible, staff will allocate expenditures to individual members of Council or the Mayor. If not allocable to individuals, staff will allocate the expenditures to the Council as a whole. • The Mayor and members of Council are to review the report for accuracy. Suggested corrections or questions are to be forwarded to the City Manager. • The City Manager and the Financial Officer will set up additional procedures, if necessary, to properly allocate expenditures. Council Travel • Provides clear guidelines on the proper procedures and policies for the Mayor and Councilmembers when they do travel. • The Mayor and Council will work with the City Manager's Office to carry out all travel planning activities and to ensure proper documentation of all expenses for any trip (travel, meals, lodging, and registration). Electronic Mail • The Mayor and Councilmembers may use electronic mail to facilitate the development of ideas, but should not use email to test the level of Council support for any idea or proposal. • Electronic communications related to City business should be handled with the same level of care used in the creation, distribution, management and retention of paper records and correspondence. DATE: October 1, 2002 3 ITEM NUMBER: 18 A-C • All electronic records of the City are subject to the retention requirements set out in the City's General Records Retention Schedule. To enable the City to effectively manage the retention of electronic communications, if the Mayor or a Councilmember use a private email system to communicate regarding City business, the individual's City email account should be included as a copied recipient. • The City's email system is not designed for the storage of messages. Therefore, effective January 1, 2003, all email messages that are 91 days or older will be automatically purged from the system on a continuing basis. If a Councilmember wishes to retain an email for a period exceeding 90 days, for reference or convenience, the Councilmember must save the email electronically outside of the City's email system, or print the email for filing. By adopting these Resolutions, the Council will reaffirm its belief that its activities in these areas should be supported by, and be consistent with, formal policies. The Council as a whole, and each elected official, will be able to rely on the policies in the course of conducting City business. The policies will also serve to assure members of the public that Council operates under prudent procedures and policies. RESOLUTION 2002-091 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS ESTABLISHING POLICIES REGARDING THE MONITORING OF COUNCIL EXPENDITURES WHEREAS, the budget of the City of Fort Collins is structured into organizational units called service areas, within which are programs to provide services, of which City Council is one such program; and WHEREAS,the City Council adopts an annual appropriations ordinance each November for the ensuing fiscal year which includes authorization for expenditures for the City Council program; and WHEREAS,all programs of the City are expected to maintain their expenditure levels within the amount established in the annual appropriations ordinance; and WHEREAS,the City Council desires to establish policies and procedures regarding how its program expenditures will be monitored and reported on a regular basis. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That each month, staff of the City Manager's Office and the Finance Department shall prepare a summary report that shows the expenditures of the Council program,and shall submit the report to the Mayor and members of Council for review. Section 2. That the foregoing report shall be itemized to show the purpose of each expenditure according to the line items in the City's financial chart of accounts, and shall be allocated to individual Councilmembers and the Mayor when possible. If expenditures are not allocable to individuals, the amounts shall be allocated to the Council as a whole. Section 3. That the report shall clearly show the original level of expenditures authorized for the Council program,the amounts spent during each month and the total expenditures for the year to date. Unspent expenditure authorization shall also be shown. Section 4. That the Mayor and each Councilmember shall review the monthly report for accuracy and to ensure that all expenditures have been properly allocated. Questions about the report or suggested corrections to the report should be forwarded to the City Manager. Section 5. That the Council hereby authorize the City Manager and the Financial Officer to establish such administrative procedures as may be necessary to facilitate the proper allocation of Council expenditures. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held this lst day of October, A.D. 2002. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk RESOLUTION 2002-092 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS ADOPTING A TRAVEL, CONFERENCE, AND TRAINING POLICY FOR CITY COUNCIL WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council of the City of Fort Collins participate in several organizations that provide educational seminars and conferences about the efficient operation of municipal corporations; and WHEREAS,the Mayor and Council may need to travel to various locations in able to attend meetings of such organizations; and WHEREAS, during the course of travel, the Mayor and Council incur expenses, including but not limited to lodging, transportation, meals, and educational materials; and WHEREAS, the City of Fort Collins has recently adopted travel, conference, and training expenses policies("Travel Policies")for City employees which are attached hereto and incorporated by this reference; and WHEREAS, the Council wishes to adopt the same travel,conference, and training expense policies to guide its own expenditures on such items. NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that the Council hereby adopts the Travel Policies contained in Exhibit "A," attached hereto, for application to the travel expenses of the Mayor and Council. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held this 1st day of October, A.D. 2002. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk EXHIBIT "A" TRAVEL, CONFERENCE, AND TRAINING POLICY FOR CITY COUNCIL OVERVIEW City Council members (this includes the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tern and City Council members) travel both within and outside of the State of Colorado for the purpose of representing the City at meetings and professional associations, as well as for training to enhance their knowledge and skills related to their position in city government. The citizens of Fort Collins receive both tangible and intangible benefits having representatives not only at formal meetings but also by providing the opportunity for those in municipal service to participate in forums through which informal networking and information exchanges may occur. The quality of life for the citizens is improved through an informed and educated elected body and the expense of such training, including the associated travel, is an appropriate expense for the City to bear. Each year,members of City Council identify the conferences and training events they plan on attending. Generally, each City Council member attends two or three major • conferences (such as the Colorado Municipal League,National League of Cities,U.S. Conference of Mayors) and one or two other conference or training events in any one year. Travel to and attendance at conferences is based on the availability of budgeted funds. City Council members often have a variety of reasons for why they must travel or attend an event. A good benchmark about the appropriateness of traveling to an event at the expense of the city is whether attendance will benefit the city, is congruent with the responsibilities of being a City Council member; and is apolitical. For most occasions, City Council members travel for the following reasons: • To obtain or comply with federal or state grant programs or contracts. • To review projects and programs in other cities. • To attend meetings as an officer of a regional, state, or national professional organization. • To present papers on activities in Fort Collins to other organizations. • To participate in training and educational programs related to municipal policies and operations. • To provide information to and discuss pending policy issues with State and Federal Officials. • 1 GENERALSTANDARDS The basic standard that should always prevail is to exercise good judgment in the use and stewardship of the City's resources. City Council members are responsible for exercising good judgment in requesting, arranging and making a trip. Personal business should not be mixed with City business if it will be a monetary cost to the City or if it harms the City's interest in any way. The City expects to reimburse City Council members for all reasonable costs they might incur on behalf of the City. Consistent record keeping also demonstrates accountability to the taxpayers and public. The City has a responsibility to accurately account for and report travel, conference and training expenses. Inaccurate travel reporting and reimbursement can also lead to tax liability situations and fines from the Internal Revenue Service. Determination of the tax status of advance and reimbursement payments and subsequent tax reporting are the responsibility of the Finance Department payroll function. Records are sent to the IRS on both a quarterly and annual basis. If travel advances and reimbursements are not adequately documented,the official's W2 statement may contain a figure of taxable income that increases the tax liability for the officials. The policies and guidelines for City Council are generally the same as those applicable to City employees. Definition of Travel For the purposes of this policy, the word"travel"is used to denote activities of City Council members in connection with attendance at conferences, meetings, seminars, and training related to City business including necessary transportation to and from the activity locations. Travel Guidelines: Contact the City Manager's Office for Travel Arrangements Prior notification of out-of-town travel shall be given to the contact person in the City Manager's Office whenever possible. A Travel Request Form should be filled well in advance of the trip. Furthermore, all registration and travel arrangements should be made well in advance so that the City can take advantage of reduced fares and early registration fees. Staff shall assist City Council members in making transportation and lodging arrangements and arrange to have expenses billed directly to the City; contractors shall be chosen by staff, and not by City Council members. LOCAL EXPENSES What are local expenses: Local expenses include those incurred while representing the City Council on a committee, attending meetings, attending local seminars or conferences, attending local 2 special events, or meeting with groups or individuals to discuss City matters. Expenses that are paid by the City include meals, conference registration, transportation and necessary incidental expenses. Receipts If receipts are not available, a written description of expenses signed by the City Council member must be submitted along with the Travel Request Form. Forms shall be available from the City Manager's Office. Petty Cash Expenses under$50 can be reimbursed out of the petty cash fund in the City Manager's Office. Receipts request The City Manager's office coordinates the details, including forms and documents, for preparing and completing City Council members' travel, conference and training activities. It is the responsibility of the traveler to collect and turn in all necessary receipts and documents of travel and conference related expenses. Out of Town Expenses Out-of-town expenses include those incurred while attending City-related conventions, conferences,training seminars, or meetings. Expenses that are paid by the City include fees for seminars or conferences; transportation to, from, and at the destination; and lodging, meals, and incidental expenses that are necessary to conduct City business. Overseas Travel If any member of City Council wishes to attend a conference or make a City Council business-related trip to a destination oversees, this request shall be made in writing well in advance and shall be placed on the consent calendar for approval by the City Council. TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES For each trip, the City Council members must abide by specific city requirements and guidelines. These policies are in place to provide staff with greater flexibility and notice to best prepare the details of the trip, and ensure proper reporting and accounting of City funds. The Requirements and Guidelines can be broken down into 8 separate topics- 1. Planning 2. Advances 3. Use of City-Designated Travel Providers 3 4. Airline Reservation and Travel 5. Lodging 6. Vehicle Rentals 7. Meal Reimbursements for Out-of-Town Traveled 8. Prohibited Travel Expenses 9. Reporting Expenses 1. Planning Effective planning by the City Council member provides a key benefit to both the Council members and the city. The key to effective planning is to have as much information as possible regarding anticipated travel expense needs (number of days, meals,registration fees). The further in advance travel is planned, the more likely staff can take advantage of reduced registration and travel costs. At the initial stage of trip planning,the City Council member must submit a Travel Request Form. The Travel Request Form is intended to be the form of documentation for all travel and is available from the City Manager's Office. 2. Advances A City Council member may request for a cash advance for travel purposes. It is recommended that a request for a cash advance be made prior to the date of departure. The Travel Request Form must be used to request the cash advance. The City provides the advance the week before the travel is to occur. 3. Use of City-Designated Travel Providers The City has selected certain travel agencies to assist the City in making travel plans. City Council members must use these designated travel agencies, unless reduced travel fares or lodging rates can be identified through other means. The City is trying to achieve a trip that is as inexpensive as possible,yet does not compromise the ability of the City Council member to obtain the full benefit of attending the event. 4. Airline Reservation and Travel For any travel by plane, City Council members are encouraged to pursue all travel measures that might reduce costs. These measures include: a) Booking tickets 21-30 days in advance or earlier if possible to take advantage of lower pricing options. b) The airline fare should be coach, leisure, discount,promotional or other low cost airfare unless the City Council members reimburse the City for the difference between the lower fare and the more expensive fare. The City will not reimburse first-class travel. 4 . c) The City Council member should consider adjusting travel dates and times in order to take the flight with the lowest cost airfare. For example, staying over a Saturday evening often saves a substantial portion of the airfare, even when additional lodging and per-diem is incurred. d) All airline travel must require ticketing documentation, either a hard copy ticket stub or written confirmation of an electronic ticket. e) The City recommends the use of airport shuttle services as the most cost- effective mode of travel to Denver International Airport (DIA). Though not the preferred mode, private vehicle travel to and from DIA may be reimbursed at the IRS mileage rate. The maximum daily reimbursement for parking at Denver International Airport is established by the Finance Department. 5. Lodging Standards City Council members must use low or moderate cost lodging for the area to which they are traveling unless they reimburse the City for the difference between the lower rates and the more expensive rates. If a conference or event-provides multiple lodging choices, the City Council Member must select low to moderate cost choices whenever possible unless they reimburse the City for the difference between the lower rates and the more • expensive rates. If government rates are available and provide it savings, they must be used. 6. Vehicle Rentals Usually, car rentals are considered a luxury. To use a rental vehicle, the City Council member must demonstrate why other low-to-moderate cost methods of transportation (shuttle, taxi, bus, subway) are not feasible or cost effective. All costs related to rental vehicles (gas,parking, and repair)must be documented if they are to be reimbursed. The standard for vehicle size is lower to mid-size. Any additional insurance coverage on rental cars will be the expense of the City Council member. Standard Vehicle Guidelines would be: a. Premium rentals or limousine service are not appropriate except when several City Council members are traveling in a group. In this case, a limousine or large vehicle may be most cost efficient. b. City Council members may use department or Fleet Services vehicle when available. C. If a City Council member's private vehicle is used, mileage will be reimbursed using the mileage rate set by the IRS. The most direct route 5 will determine the total mileage. The maximum amount that will be reimbursed is equal to the cost of the lowest airfare available 21 days prior to travel. 7. Meal Reimbursement for Out-of-Town Travel When Council members travel out-of-town, their meal expenses will be typically reimbursed. 8. Travel Expenses Not Allowed In addition to the items listed under Sections 4 and 6 of this policy(airline reservations and travel and vehicle rentals), there are expenses that the city will not reimburse. These expenses are: a. Meals or other expenses for sales people, spouses, family members or other persons not affiliated with the City. b. Liquor,movies, or entertainment (including in-room movies). C. Concerts, theater, sporting events and similar activities; d. Laundry, dry-cleaning or shoe repair; e. Personal phone calls, including connection and long distance fees; f. Computer connections(unless required for City business); or g. Other personal expenses not directly related to City business. 9. Reporting Expenses Absent extenuating circumstances outside of the individual's control,the City Council member must complete and submit the Travel Request Form to the City Manager's Office within 10 working days of his or her return. The form must include all expenses, including all credit card changes made. 6 RESOLUTION 2002-093 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS ADOPTING A POLICY FOR THE USE, MANAGEMENT AND RETENTION OF ELECTRONIC MAIL BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes electronic mail as an important communication tool; and WHEREAS, email systems are neither intended nor designed as systems for storage; and WHEREAS, the City is mindful of its obligations under the Colorado Open Records Act and is desirous of maintaining its records in a manner that facilitates the efficient and expedient retrieval of documents upon request; and WHEREAS,the City Manager recently adopted an administrative policy governing the use, management and retention of electronic communications by employees in furtherance of these objectives; and WHEREAS,the City Council supports the administrative policy and desires that its email be governed by a similar policy, with certain modifications tailored to the City Council's use of email. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF FORT COLLINS, that the Email Policy concerning the Mayor and City Council Members, attached hereto as Exhibit "A", shall be and is hereby adopted. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held this 1st day of October, A. D. 2002. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk Governance Committee April 17, 2002 Page 5 • require documentation of individual comments regarding the reasons for voting,particularly in the case of split decisions. In addition, language will be added to require that any separate communication of board opinions/recommendations, should be transmitted to the Council and the City Manager. Mr. Fischbach noted that his office is currently implementing a process for tracking boards and commissions recommendations to Council. (Secretary's Note: The Committee took a 15-minute break for lunch.) E-mail Mr. Roy stated he is working on a report to Council addressing two issues: (1) Does e-mail constitute a meeting,that has to be open and preceded by a notice?;and(2)Is e-mail an open record? He stated if the Committee wants to discuss,from a practical standpoint,how e-mail is used or what the system is for retrieving e-mail when a request is received, he is not planning to address those issues in his memo. Mayor Pro Tern Bertschy stated his understanding is that Councilmember Tharp is interested in addressing the meeting aspect of e-mail and information decision making. Mr. Roy offered a preview of his memo, stating, under local law, he does not believe e-mail constitutes a meeting unless it occurs in a chat room,noting that if Council wants to clarify that,he would recommend stating that in the City Code. He noted that under state law,a-mail is a meeting, creating a conflict between state and local law. He stated a policy decision needs to be made about whether the Council wants e-mail to constitute a meeting that needs to be preceded by a notice. He suggested that even if Council determines e-mail is not technically a meeting,the Council may want to have a policy discussion regarding the use of e-mail. Councilmembers Weitkunat and Bertschy agreed the Council needs to have a discussion to address concerns and agree on the use of e-mail. Mayor Pro Tern Bertschy stated the other issue to be addressed is the issue of storage and retrieval of e-mail. Assistant City Manager Atteber y stated from a technology aspect,a-mails can be stored for as long as Council wants or deleted as soon as wanted. He stated it's more an issue of open records and records retention,and the City's policies on those issues. He spoke of other communities,including Larimer County,who have elected officials make the decision,based on certain criteria,to forward e-mail to a public mailbox. Mr.Roy recommended a decision be made as to whether e-mail is a meeting,and beyond that,adopt guidelines on how e-mail should be used. Governance Committee April 17, 2002 Page 6 Mayor Pro Tern Bertschy suggested asking Councilmembers to identify their concerns and preferences for addressing those concerns in preparation for possible discussion at the retreat on May 14 (time permitting). Ballot Issues and Possible Charter Amendments Ms. Krajicek stated staff has identified and included in the agenda a Charter amendment which clarifies that the Council does not have the option to adopt an initiated ordinance without alteration if the measure is subject to a vote of the people under TABOR. The need for this housekeeping amendment came to light during the Imagine Fort Collins initiatives. Mayor Pro Tern Bertschy asked if the amendment could be perceived by the voters in a negative manner. Mr. Roy stated anytime you touch on the initiative process on the ballot,you can't predict how the voters will react. Ms. Krajicek noted that this amendment is in favor of the voters, clarifying the power of voters to take taxation or debt issues out of the hands of the Council. The Committee discussed whether it would permissible for Council to adopt an initiated ordinance subject to a vote of the people prior to placing it on the ballot as a means of showing Council's support for an issue. Following discussion,the Committee determined that even if that option were available, it doesn't provide any additional benefit since the Council is permitted to adopt a Resolution in favor of or in opposition to an initiated measure. The consensus was to place the issue on the November ballot as drafted. Proposed Revisions to the District-Precinct Map Ms.Krajicek stated this item was added in an effort to get the Committee's reaction to the proposed map prior to bring it to Council for formal adoption on May 7. She explained that the revisions were necessary due to changes in the County's precinct boundaries, which were driven by reapportionment. She asked for the Committee's reaction to the proposed map. The Committee liked the fact that the proposed map uses College Avenue as the primary dividing line between the east and west sides of town. The Committee recommended Council adoption of the map on May 7. Governance Committee April 17, 2002 Page 7 Council Expenditures The Committee discussed the level of accountability that the Council currentlyhas,and should have, with regard to expenditure of the Council's budget. Mr. Fischbach spoke of the difficulty Council may have in determining or arbitrating individual Councilmember expenditures based on available funds. How expenses should be "charged" to individual Council members was discussed,and Mr.Fischbach noted that several expenditures that were erroneously included in the Mayor's expenses in the information recently prepared for Tim Johnson has caused some misunderstandings. Mayor Pro Tern Bertschy stated he believes Council should be provided with detailed information about the budget and expenditures and that,if the budget is becoming depleted,the Council should make decisions about expenditures for the remainder of the budget year. He stated he was not in favor of allocating money to individual Council members. Councilmember Weitkunat stated because the Council's expenditures have become a public issue, it's time for a public discussion of the issue for the purpose of public understanding and Council understanding. She stated she believes the Council should be accountable for its budget. Mayor Pro Tem. Bertschy introduced the idea of Council adopting the City's travel policy as the policy that the City Council will follow. It was noted that Council follows that policy now, but formally adopting the policy would make a public statement that the Council lives by the same rules as the rest of the City organization. Mr. Roy suggested that staff review the City's personnel policies and administrative policies for travel and expenditures policies and pull them together into a policy for to be brought forward to the Council for adoption. The Committee concurred. The Committee continued discussion of how expenses should be allocated to individual Councilmembers. Finance Director Krcmarik suggested that staffdevelop allocation rules,and apply those to the current year budget and report to Council how that looks. Then, the same rules could be applied to previous budget years if necessary. The Committee concurred. Mr. Fischbach indicated staff would attempt to have draft policies prepared within the next few weeks. Review of Oath of Office and Partisan Activities Ms. K raj icek n oted this i s a c ontinuation o f the d iscussion s tarted at the D ecember 18, 2 001 Committee meeting. • COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE July 16, 2002 The Council Governance Committee met on July 16, 2002 at 4:00 p.m. in the City Manager's Conference Room in City Hall West, 300 LaPorte Avenue. In attendance at the meeting were Committee members Bill Bertschy,Ray Martinez,and Karen Weitkunat. Council and staffinembers present at the meeting were Councilmember Eric Hamrick, City Manager John Fischbach,Deputy City Manager Diane Jones,Assistant City Manager Darin Atteberry,City Attorney Steve Roy,City Clerk Wanda Krajicek, Finance Director Alan Krcmarik, and Chief Deputy City Clerk Rita Harris. Executive Session Protocol The Committee reviewed draft policies and procedures governing the holding of executive sessions, as well as a form containing options for wording of a motion to go into executive session and announcements to be made on the taped record of an executive session. It was noted that these documents are intended to be used by boards and commissions, as well as the Council. Mayor Pro Tern Bertschy stated he liked the checklist of motions for going into an executive session and the language for the announcements. • The Committee unanimously recommended Council adoption of the policies. E-mail Assistant City Manager Atteberry reviewed the goals established by Council for development of an e-mail policy. He outlined the options available in the development of a policy. He spoke briefly of the types of communications that constitute appropriate use of e-mail, including"straw polls". City Attorney Roy noted that the Council would be considering an ordinance at tonight's meeting that, if approved, would clarify that the only electronic communication that would constitute a meeting would be when several Council members are participating in a chat room environment simultaneously. He stated he believes straw polls are pemtissible under the law,but it's a matter of policy as to what the Council wants to allow. He reminded the Committee that this issue came up at a retreat as a concern of Councilmember Tharp. He stated staff is seeking direction on whether the Council wants to adopt a policy about the kinds of communications that are appropriate or inappropriate. He noted that the other administrative components of an e-mail policy regarding retention and storage of a-mails is being drafted by staff. Mayor Pro Tem.Bertschy stated he is uncomfortable with allowing"straw polls",stating he believes and expression of an opinion should be done publicly. City Attorney Roy stated it is very helpful to staff to receive input from individual Councilmembers . when drafting an ordinance or resolution. Governance Committee -2- July 16, 2002 After further d iscussion, t he C ommittee d ecided i t w ould b e appropriate t o s eck i nput o n t he development of an item for consideration in a public forum,but it would not be acceptable to test the level of support for an item as drafted. Councilmember Hamrick stated he believes the administrative portion of an e-mail is also important to insure that the public has easy access to e-mail. Assistant City Manager Atteberry continued his presentation by reviewing staff s recommendations on the administration portion of an e-mail policy, including (1) easy access by the public; (2) flexibility for Council members to retain messages; (3)automatic deletion of a-mails based on age of message (60-90 days); (4) that when outside e-mail is used to conduct public business, the individuals City Groupwise mailbox should be copied;and(5)providing individualized training for each Council member based on his/her preferred method of retention; and(6)providing the e-mail policy to the local media. In response to questions, Mr. Atteberry stated this policy reduces the time commitment recently required in addressing an open records request by reducing the number of e-mail messages in individual mailboxes that need to be reviewed before release. If individual Council members have retained messages in paper or other electronic format, each Council member will need to provide those documents. The Committee unanimously recommended that a policy be drafted that states that e-mail will be kept in e-mail boxes for 90 days and then deleted, and that straw polls will not be conducted via e- mail. Council Committees City Manager Fischbach stated Councilmember Hamrick requested that the Committee review the duties and functions of the various Council committees and highlighted the materials provided in the agenda regarding Council committees. The Committee discussed whether the Resolutions creating the various committees were outdated and whether new Resolutions were needed to generically reflect functions. Councilmember Weitkunat suggested eliminating the Council committees because they no longer serve the purpose for which they were intended,which was to relieve the entire Council of some of the work load associated with researching and evaluating substantive issues. She stated the Ethics Review Board is still necessary. She stated that external committee responsibilities, such as the Platte River Power Authority Board should be continued. Mayor Martinez stated Ms. Weitkunat has made valid points, and stated he agrees most of the committees should be eliminated. He noted that special committees, such as the current Transportation Funding Committee, can be created as needed. Mayor Pro Tem. Bertschy stated he had come to the same conclusion about the committees some time ago,because the committees are not accomplishing what they were originally intended to do. Governance Committee -3- July 16, 2002 Councilmember Hamrick also agreed with Ms. Weitkunat's suggestion. He stated he liked the model used for the Transportation Committee,because it was set up for a specific purpose/project. The Committee discussed the need for the Legislative Review Committee and determined that it should be retained. The Committee unanimously supported the elimination of the internal committees, except for the Ethics Review Board and the Legislative Review Committee. Council Expenditures Finance Director Krcmarik stated the Committee received in its packet information on expenditures for the last quarter as well as year-to-date. He distributed additional information with more detail on expenditures in May and June. Mayor Pro Tern Bertschy stated the reason for Council getting this information is for the Council to keep track of its budget. He stated he finds it difficult to determine from the information presented where the budget actually stands. He asked if there would be a more "user-friendly"w ay of presenting the information. He also asked what mechanism the Council will use to make a decisions about expenditures to avoid overspending. . Mr.Krcmarik and Deputy City Manager Jones explained how the Council budget is determined and managed. Ms. Jones explained that the target budget for Council is split into line items based on spending trends. She noted that $50,000 was added to the Council budget in 2002 to address overspending in previous years. Ms. Weitkunat suggested more explanatory information would be helpful to explain expenditures. Due to the time constraints for this meeting,the Committee deferred further discussion until a later date. Travel Policies The Committee reviewed the travel policy for general employees and agreed that the Council policy should be similar to the employee policy. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at approximately 5:15 p.m.