pages: OpenGovernmentCommission/2016-02-01.pdf, 11
This data as json
body | date | page | text | path |
---|---|---|---|---|
OpenGovernmentCommission | 2016-02-01 | 11 | Commissioner Dieter stated the public would realize nothing has been declassified even though it is required semiannually. The Assistant City Attorney stated said matter can easily be included with the report. Commissioner Dieter stated at least once annually, the Commission also needs to report to the Council, in writing, any practical or policy problems encountered in the administration of the Sunshine Ordinance; that she is wondering if the issue of declassifying documents should be reported to the City Council; it is difficult for the Open Government Commission to weigh in on documents being declassified because the provision is not clear; things need to be spelled out and perhaps included in the Sunshine Ordinance, which the Council can discuss; clarification is needed on the criteria for disclosure, the process to determine the risk of disclosing documents, who decides to take the risk--the Council or City Attorney, and who decides when something can be disclosed; a mechanism needs to be put in place for community members to request classified documents to be declassified; a Commissioner or Councilmember might want something to be declassified; a mechanism needs to be in place for the public to ask for something and get a response about why something may or may not be able to be disclosed. The City Clerk stated in the past on several occasions, the Council has voted to allow closed session information to be disclosed; when a request is made from a member of the public, staff will provide the legal reasoning why the information is not being disclosed; provided an example of the recent hiring of the City Manager; stated an explanation is given to the requestor. Commissioner Dieter stated the Commission does not know the criteria used to judge the matter; something should be added to the Sunshine Ordinance to make things more transparent so that the Commission can handle complaints. The Assistant City Attorney stated the sentence in question says: the Commission shall report, in writing, to the City Council at least once annually about any practical or policy problems encountered in the administration of this chapter; if the Commission wants to identify what it sees as practical or policy problems, it is within the Commission's jurisdiction; that he is not sure whether staff can do so; the Commission might want to appoint an ad hoc committee to address the matter and return back to the Commission. Acting Chair Foreman stated Commissioner Dieter has already laid out the issue; requested that the matter be put in writing and considered at the next meeting; questioned if spelled out in State law; stated real property transactions, contracts, and labor agreements that take place in closed session typically end up in open session; outlined an example of closed session information being requested on the subcommittees set up to help Council select the new City Manager; questioned whether there is a way to challenge the issue. Meeting of the Open Government Commission February 1, 2016 11 | OpenGovernmentCommission/2016-02-01.pdf |