Charter Review Committee

MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE AUGUST 23, 2010 - 10:00 A.M. OLD LAWTON HIGH SCHOOL – MAYOR’S CONFERENCE ROOM The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. in the Mayor’s Conference Room at the Old Lawton High School. Meeting notice and agenda were posted on the City Hall bulletin board as required by State Law. 1. Roll Call: PRESENT: Steve Barnes, Rick Sinnreich, Ken Easton, John Purcell, Jr., Minnette Page, John Cameron, Albert Johnson, Sr., Emil Vyhlidal, Ernest Godlove. ABSENT: None ALSO PRESENT: Frank V. Jensen - City Attorney, Traci Hushbeck - City Clerk, Kim McConnell - Lawton Constitution, Larry Mitchell – City Manager ________________________________________________________________________ 2. Approve minutes of August 16, 2010. MOVED by Godlove SECOND by Johnson, to approve the minutes of August 16, 2010. AYE: Barnes, Sinnreich, Easton, Purcell, Page, Cameron, Johnson, Vyhlidal, Godlove. NAY: None. MOTION CARRIED. 3. Review of the City Charter and take appropriate action if necessary. The committee took action on the following items: C-1-3 - Planning and zoning—General grant of power. e. The City Council shall make a reasonable attempt to implement the Comprehensive Plan within the resources available. MOVED by Godlove SECOND by Easton, to approve the suggested wording regarding comprehensive plan. AYE: Barnes, Easton, Purcell, Page, Cameron,Vyhlidal, Godlove. NAY: Sinnreich, Johnson. MOTION CARRIED. C-2-2 - Mayor and mayor pro tem. a. The mayor shall preside at meetings of the council, and shall prepare and propose agenda for council meetings. ensure an agenda is available for council meetings. He shall be recognized as head of the city government for all ceremonial purposes and by the Minutes of Charter Review Committee Meeting of August 23, 2010 Page 2 governor for purposes of military law. He shall have no administrative duties except that he shall sign such written obligations of the city as the council may require. He shall have the right to vote on questions before the council only in case of a tie, adoption of the annual budget and on motions to appoint or to suspend or to remove the city manager, city attorney or city clerk. The mayor shall present annually a public address on the state of the city at a time and place of his designation, and shall deliver, from time to time, such other messages to the council and citizens of the city as he deems appropriate. The mayor shall have the authority to convene a citizens committee to implement, revise and review progress on the city’s Strategic Plan. MOVED by Barnes SECOND by Godlove, to approve the suggested wording regarding comprehensive plan. AYE: Barnes, Sinnreich, Easton, Purcell, Page, Cameron,Johnson, Vyhlidal, Godlove. NAY: None. MOTION CARRIED. Committee suggested wording on the following items: C-2-11 - Council—Quorum, rules, roll call votes. A majority of all of the members of the council shall constitute a quorum, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day or from time to time. The council may determine its own rules. The vote on any question shall be by roll call, and shall be entered in the journal. A councilmember may abstain from voting in which case the abstention shall constitute neither a negative nor affirmative vote. A councilmember shall only abstain from voting on any matter when required by the conflict of interest provisions contained in C-8-14 in which case the abstention shall constitute neither a negative nor affirmative vote. The passage of an ordinance or resolution shall require at least five (5) affirmative votes. C-8-14 - Conflict of interests. a. Neither the mayor, any councilmember, nor the city manager shall sell or barter anything to the city or to a contractor to be supplied to the city; or make any contract with the city; or purchase anything from the city other than those things which the city offers generally to the public (as for example, utility services), and then only on the same terms as are offered to the public. Any such official violating this section, upon conviction thereof, shall thereby forfeit his office. Any violation of this section, with the knowledge, express or implied, of the person or corporation contracting with the city, shall render the contract voidable by the city manager or the council. This subsection shall not apply in cases in which the city acquires property by condemnation. b. Any member of the council or of any board, commission, or other plural authority, shall abstain from voting on any matter in which he has a financial or personal interest and shall participate in discussion on that matter only to the extent permitted by law. who has a direct personal or private interest in any question before the body of which he is a member, shall disclose the fact to it, and shall not vote thereon. c. The council by ordinance or personnel rules may further regulate conflict of interests and ethics of officials and employees of the city. The next meeting will be held on Monday, September 20th @ 10:00 a.m. at Old Lawton High/New City Hall. Minutes of Charter Review Committee Meeting of August 23, 2010 Page 3 4. Adjournment There was no further business to consider and upon motion, second and roll call vote the committee adjourned at 11:44 a.m.