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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/05/1980City Council Minutes May 5, 1980 - 12:10 p.m. Page 1 SPECIAL CALLED MEETING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO MONDAY, MAY 5, 1980 - 12:10 P.M. COUNCIL HEARING ROOM, CITY HALL 990 PALM STREET, SAN LUIS OBISPO Roll Call Councilmembers PRESENT: Melanie Billig, Alan Bond, Gerald Munger, and Mayor Cooper ABSENT: Ron Dunin Staff PRESENT: Lee Walton, Administrative Officer; Geoff Grote, Assistant City Attorney; J.H. Fitzpatrick, City Clerk; Jackie Megow, Human Relations; and Pat Wickstrom, Human Relations Members of the Human Relations Commission Present: Perry Conner, Terry Elfrink, Josef Kasparowitz, Jeff Guiffrida, Walt Lambert, Diane Griffin, Catherine Pearl, and Mary Ann Vasconcellos Mayor Cooper announced that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss a letter from the Human Relations Commission from its Chairman, Walt Lambert, as follows: On behalf og the..Human Relations Commission, I wish to request a special joint- meeting between the City Council and the HRC. As an advisory commission to the Council, HRC has serious concerns over the following matters which need to be discussed as soon as possible: 1) Major questions regarding the HRC budget for FY 1980 -81, which need to be addressed prior to the regular budget hearing process. 2) Concerns about the most recent draft of the Rental Housing Mediation Board guidelines -- especially with the apparent duplication of services with current HRC services. 3) Concern that the HRC's effectiveness is becoming limited due to lack of direction and communication with City Council. HRC was established to be an advisory group and direct citizen linkage to City Council; this linkage is beginning to seriously erode. It is the intent of the requested meeting to open up the lines of communication between the City Council and the HRC and address the issues at hand. They hoped that the meeting would be held as soon as possible in order to arrive at some decisions before budget and other important decisions had been made. Walt Lambert then enlarged upon his letter, stating that one problem that the HRC has was the question of the continuation of their staff. He felt that the C.E.T.A. employee Pat Wickstrom should be continued at the end of of her year of C.E.T.A. work. He felt that the position was absolutely necessary to continue the HRC operation even if to the detriment of the grant program. He also stated that the H.R.C. has already acted for the City as the Rental Mediation Board and recommended that the Council not even consider such a board and further, he did not feel that City administration understood the expertise involved in handling the rental problems as proposed in the Rental Housing Mediation Board Ordinance. He felt the major weakness was the reporting to staff people who were not in tune with either the rentors or the landlords. At 12:20 p.m., Vice -Mayor Dunin arrived at the meeting. 1 1 1 City Council Minutes May 5, 1980 - 12:10 p.m. Page 2 Geoff.Grote, Administrative Assistant and - Assistant City Attorney, presented for the Council's discussion, the Rental_Housing Mediation Board guidelines approved by the Council on April 1, 1980, and the ordinance establishing the Rental Housing Mediation Board which was to be considered at the - Council meeting of May 6, 1980, but was taken off.so that the Council could have this discussion with the H.R.C. Jeff Guiffrida, H.R.C. member, stated he has always felt that there has always been a problem in direction of responsibility between the H.R.C. and the City Administrative Officer, in the area of Human Services. He felt that the H.R.C. does not feel comfortable-being asked by the Council to serve as advisory groups to Council and then have the Council put their Administrative staff between themselves and the Council. He continued that there is no clear line of responsibility in the Human Services department even between the Hrc and the HRC staff, the CAO and his staff, and the City Council. He felt there was no need to take away from the H.R.C. the Rental Mediation Board work which they feel has been doing an excellent job and turn it over to a staff controlled - group. He felt that turning it over to the Administrative office would be one way of killing this program. It would not be successful. Lee Walton, Administrative.Officer, explained the proposed ordinance and how he invisions his operation within that ordinance. He also explained the roll of the City Administrative Officer as the Chief Executive for the City Council. Councilman Bond stated that he has never agreed with adopting and ordinance to bring along a new Rental Mediation Board. He ,felt the entire concept of the mediation board was poor and it should be handled by staff. City Council then held a lengthy, roving discussion with the HRC members and staff on definitions of what is mediation, what is conciliation, etc. John Carsel, HRC member, stated he could see no need for a new Rental Housing Mediation Board as he felt this duplicated the HRC's job. He stated it was his opinion that 60% of the HRC's present work dealt with rental mediation. Walt Lambert again stated that what really disturbed the HRC most was not budget or rental housing mediation, but just the feeling that they were not being recognized by the City Council and the citizens of San Luis Obispo as a high level advisory board to the Council. He stated that they saw themselves as an autonomous advisory board with no tie -in to the City Administration or staff. They feel that they should have equal status with the Council in their field of expertise, which is "human relations." After a lengthy discussion, the.City Council informed the HRC: 1) That they have not received the 1980-81-budget so could not comment on staffing or expenditures. 2) The Council would again look at the proposed Rental Housing Mediation Board.ordinance in light of.the discussions with the HRC members at this meeting 3) There has never been a time when the HRC has not been able to. contact the City Council. City Council stated that formal communications between the HRC and the.. Council should be submitted to the City Clerk who would'see to'it.that copies ' were prepared for each member of the City Council or placed -on the.next appropriate agenda after discussion with-the Chairman of the HRC. .At no time was it the Council's intention to ignore or not even consider their suggestions. The Council also reminded the HRC that they.have other "responsibilities than.just.to one advisory board. . The matter was left that all communications; whether .verbal or written, were always welcome-b y meibers of the City .Council. City Council Minutes May 5, 1980 - 12:10 p.m. Page 3 Mayor Cooper.thanked the members of the HRC and hoped.that_.this lengthy discussion cleared the air between both groups. 2. City Council discussed the Pre - Development Conference Concept of developments and whether they included land now presently outside the city. After a brief discussion it was common consent of the Council that the "Irish Hills- Hacienda" development would be on the'Tuesday, May.13, 1980, City Council meeting for pre - development discussion and that the ' "Cheapskate Hill" development would-be discussed at a pre - development conference by the City Council on -June 10, 1980. 3. Upon questions and common consent by the City Council, authorized the appointment of a technical committee to review the city's proposed Energy Conservation Ordinance. There being no further business to come before the City Council; -Mayor Cooper adjourned the Special Meeting at 1:35 p.m. APPROVED BY COUNCIL ON: May 20, 1980 J�ifzpatrick, City Clerk PRESENT: Lee Walton, Administrative Officer; George Thacher, City Attorney; J.H. Fitzpatrick,..City Clerk; Henry Engen, Community Development Director; Terry Sanville, Planning Department; Wayne Peterson, City Engineer; Roger Neuman, Police Chief; D.F. Romero, Public Services Director X -1. Lee Walton, Administrative Officer,.requested that the City Council permit the adding of two items the council agenda: 1) A video grant proposal submitted by the police.department which.would provide crime prevention training to 90% of all police officers within the County and northern Santa Barbara County if approved. On motion of Councilman Bond, seconded by Councilman Dunin, the following resolution was introduced: Resolution.No. 4158 (1980 Series), a resolution of the Council of the City of San Luis.Obispo. authorizing the Mayor to submit an applicatiorn'for a grant for law enforcement purposes. Passed and adopted on the following roll call vote: AYES: Councilmembers Bond, Dunin, Billig, Munger and Mayor Cooper. NOES: None ABSENT: None M I N U T E S ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO TUESDAY, MAY 6, 1980 - 4:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, 990 PALM STREET Pledge Roll Call Councilmembers PRESENT: Melanie Billig, Alan Bond, Ron Dunin, Gerald Munger and Mayor Cooper ABSENT: None City Staff J.- . PRESENT: Lee Walton, Administrative Officer; George Thacher, City Attorney; J.H. Fitzpatrick,..City Clerk; Henry Engen, Community Development Director; Terry Sanville, Planning Department; Wayne Peterson, City Engineer; Roger Neuman, Police Chief; D.F. Romero, Public Services Director X -1. Lee Walton, Administrative Officer,.requested that the City Council permit the adding of two items the council agenda: 1) A video grant proposal submitted by the police.department which.would provide crime prevention training to 90% of all police officers within the County and northern Santa Barbara County if approved. On motion of Councilman Bond, seconded by Councilman Dunin, the following resolution was introduced: Resolution.No. 4158 (1980 Series), a resolution of the Council of the City of San Luis.Obispo. authorizing the Mayor to submit an applicatiorn'for a grant for law enforcement purposes. Passed and adopted on the following roll call vote: AYES: Councilmembers Bond, Dunin, Billig, Munger and Mayor Cooper. NOES: None ABSENT: None