2012 Annual Report - Conucil Rules Committee

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2012 Annual Report of the Council Rules Committee Page 2 and passed city-wide regulations addressing the use of electronic devices by Council and Board members. at public meetings. However, uniform policies and procedures which are city-wide for both the City Administration and the Common Council on all of the various social media technologies are needed. Bill No. 14-12 was passed in May, which was aimed at improving the procedures addressing citizen appointments. All Committee Chairpersons, however, need to be more pro-active to remind their all of the citizen members which they have appointed that quarterly updates are now required. The Council Rules Committee also dealt for the first time with a complaint filed by a Council Member against another Council Member. That process worked well, however, the need for updating those procedures in light of changes in the governing state law was noted. Therefore, I would recommend that reviewing those procedures should be a priority in 2013. Council Members have also suggested that a fair process be developed to address a process when removal of appointees may be warranted. Compliance with the Indiana Open Door Law, with regard to properly calling a meeting, giving notice, and having meeting minutes are ongoing requirements must be done in coordination with the Office of the City Clerk. I urge all Council Members to utilize the "Standing Committee Request Protocol Form"when calling committee meetings on non-Council Mondays. The form helps in assuring that there will be compliance with the governing state and local laws. All Committee Chairpersons should also carefully weigh and consider when a committee meeting should be called on non-Monday Council date, so that the integrity of the public meeting hearing process is upheld. An area which has become a growing concern is the need to convey to all individuals who come to a Standing Committee meeting that their time is valuable and should be respected. As a reminder, § 2-10 (o) of the South Bend Municipal Code states that: "(o) In order to assure proper respect to the conduct of all standing committee hearings, the highest standards of dignity, propriety, courtesy and decorum shall be upheld in order to assure the proper fact finding mission through the hearing process. The Chairperson may establish may establish special rules governing such hearings as circumstances may require". South Bend Municipal Code § 2-8 (g)provides that: "(g) When any Council Member is about to speak or deliver any matter to the Council, he or she shall respectfully address himself or herself to the presiding officer, and upon being recognized, confine himself or herself to the question in debate, and avoid personality. The presiding officer shall not recognize any Council Member unless he or she is in his or her proper seat". As we continue to work together, our task of carrying out our Mission Statement which states that we are: "To make certain that our City Government is always responsive to the needs of our residents & that the betterment of South Bend is always our highest priority" will always be first and foremost. The new procedure used during the Privilege of the Floor whereby individuals are asked to complete a 1- page form if they wish to receive a formal update is working well.