Minutes 1996 0112 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Minutes - San Leandro City Council Meeting - January 12, 1996 Page - 3 - MATTER OF FORMATION OF AND APPOINTMENTS TO COMMITTEES (continued) Council Member Loeffler said new Council Members receive a very thorough briefing on the departments, with hours of meetings, tours, and information. He said it is necessary to review the procedures for the newcomers, and there is value in reviewing procedures and spelling out relationships. The Council's role is policy, not management, and to listen to the community and find a balance that keeps the community economically sound. The role is to look at bigger issues and reflect them from a community standpoint. When you come onto the Council you are put into a number of relationships that are new to you. It lasts eight years and you lose the history. There is a need to review and spell out how we do things. Council Member Galvan said the recommendation for the committees seems to be responding or reacting to something, but he doesn't know what it is. He said he is proud of the two years he's spent on the Council and doesn't see the need for another committee. Mayor Corbett said there will be three new Council Members, so in a few months the entire committee structure will change. She said it is time to make plans and be ready to move forward, instead of waiting until the new Council Members get here. She said the process by which the Council acts is in committee and full Council, by resolution. She said there have been a lot of questions recently by Council and the community about the Council's roles, responsibilities, and relationships; and a lot of questions need to be answered. Council Member Polvorosa said there will be three new Council Members at the end of March, and they will have to review this again. He said this should be put off until the new Council Members come on board. Council Member Loeffler said there is a historic body of knowledge on the Council now that should be used in putting together what we believe to be the existing procedures. The new members will learn from it, ask questions, and modify it; but it needs to put it down right now. Council Member Galvan asked why this was not done at the beginning of this administration. He said this is a reaction to newspapers saying the Council is a rubber stamp, but the Council has been out front on all issues such as Bayfair, Costco, and Lloyd Wise. He said he is proud of his two years on the Council and what has been accomplished. Mayor Corbett said this will provide an opportunity for the Council to review their roles and have a process in place for new Council Members. She said there are questions that must be answered, and it must be done through the committee structure. She agreed a lot has been accomplished. She said if the Council agrees with the City Manager it's because they have asked him to pursue a particular project. From time to time they disagree and that's the democratic process.