Agenda Packets - 2003/02/24 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council February 10, 2003 Regular Meeting Page 14 Administrator and Council were aware of them and to keep one Council Member from directing Staff 1 and the rest of Council not being aware. 2 3 Council Member Stigney indicated that employees can call him any time as he is an elected official and 4 that is part of his responsibility. 5 6 Council Member Gunn asked how Council could correct the interpretation problem. 7 8 Council Member Stigney indicated he just stated in public that any emp loyee could contact him and, if 9 Council agrees, all the directors will know that they are not to be more restrictive than what the 10 Resolution says. 11 12 Council Member Marty indicated he was not in agreement with the way this Resolution was interpreted 13 by the previous Administration. He then indicated he would like to rescind it so that the same issue 14 does not present itself with the new Administration. He further indicated that Resolution 5944 states 15 that the City Council prefers to let the City Charter speak for itself and he no longer feels the need for 16 Resolution 5555. 17 18 Council Member Quick asked if Resolution 5555 conflicts with the Charter. 19 20 City Attorney Riggs indicated it does not. 21 22 Council Member Quick commented that he is not aware of many employees with a copy of the Charter 23 handy to refer to and Resolution 5555 is a simple way of laying out the protocol for communication. 24 25 Council Member Stigney disagreed with Council Member Marty as the paragraph that he read is not in 26 the Charter and that is why Resolution 5555 is needed. He then said that the interpretation is the 27 problem not the Resolution itself. 28 29 Mayor Linke indicated there are several reprimands in files for employees talking to Council Members 30 because items did not go up to Council and when it was suggested to Council that is when the 31 reprimand happened because the next person up the line from department head did not follow through 32 that process. He then said that there is too much room for interpretation there and that is why he is for 33 rescinding Resolution 5555. 34 35 Mayor Linke indicated the policy was that Staff could talk to Council Members but Council could not 36 give direction to employees other than through the City Administrator as a Council body. 37 38 Barbara Thomas of 5444 Landmark Circle encouraged Mayor Linke to go back through the files 39 because there are only minor circumstances where that occurred. She then said she had the Charter in 40 front of her and the circumstances of the birth of Resolution 5555 were shortly after an extended perio d 41