Special Committee on Council Processes Meeting

MEMORANDUM Bloomington Common Council - Special Committee on Council Processes Bloomington City Hall, McCloskey Conference Room 135 401 N. Morton Street, Bloomington, Indiana Thursday, February 23, 2023 NOTE: Formal minutes are not produced for committee meetings; however the following summarizes actions taken at the following meeting of the Special Committee on Council Processes. Meeting called to order: 8:00am Chair: Matt Flaherty Councilmembers present: Matt Flaherty, Isabelle Piedmont-Smith, Sue Sgambelluri Councilmembers present via Zoom: none Councilmembers absent: Dave Rollo (committee member recused from discussion) City staff, officials, and guests present: Ash Kulak, Stephen Lucas, Clerk Nicole Bolden Topics Discussed: 1. Agenda summation 2. Discussion of recommendations to the Council ACTION: Flaherty revised the agenda to allow public comment before a vote on recommendations. 3. Public comment Jami Scholl (via Zoom) 4. Vote on recommendations MOTION: Flaherty moved and it was seconded that this committee recommend to the council the following: 1. That substantive due process considerations advise that a motion for removal of an appointed board or commission member for cause should be narrow, specific, and sufficiently clear that city council members, members of the public, and the appointee in question fully understand the specific conduct, statements, or omissions that have led to the proposed removal; 2. That procedural due process considerations advise that the commission appointee in question be given at least five (5) business days to respond in writing to the specific allegations and proposed basis for their removal; 3. Legal precedent with respect to cause for removal advises that a council member making a motion for removal should clarify the relevance of and logical connection between the named conduct and how, specifically, those acts or omissions have diminished the appointee's ability or fitness to perform the duties of the appointment as defined by Bloomington Municipal Code or  statute, including any evidence demonstrating this diminished ability or fitness to perform the specific duties. ACTION: The motion was approved by voice vote. 5. Authorization for a member to write a Committee report MOTION: Sgambelluri moved and it was seconded that Chair CM Flaherty be charged with writing the Committee report. ACTION: The motion was approved by voice vote. MOTION: Flaherty moved and it was seconded to amend the Committee motion to recommend the withdrawal of the previous motion to remove Greg Alexander and to make a new motion in line with the guidelines as suggested. ACTION: The motion was approved by voice vote. 6. Adjournment ACTION: Flaherty adjourned the meeting. Meeting ended: 9:00am Memorandum prepared by: Clerk Nicole Bolden City of Bloomington