Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

2024 CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION MINUTES REGULAR MEETING January 18, 2024 The 2023 Charter Review Commission convened in a regular meeting on Thursday, January 18, 2024, Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second Street, Room 1029, Austin, Texas. Vice Chair Garcia called the Commission Meeting to order at 5:34 p.m. Commissioner Cowles was absent. Commissioner Cowles (absent) Commissioner Lasch Commissioner Van Maanen Commissioner Ortega Commissioner Greenberg Commission Members in Attendance: Vice Chair Garcia Commissioner Botkin Commissioner Dwyer Commissioner McGivern Commission Altamirano Staff in Attendance: Myrna Rios, City Clerk’s Office Caroline Webster, Law Department PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Kathy Mitchell – Equity Action Joe Riddell APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the 2024 Charter Review Commission regular meeting of December 14, 2023. The motion to approve the minutes from the December 16, 2023, meeting were approved on Commissioner Lasch’s motion, Commissioner Altamirano’s second on a 10-0 vote. Commissioner Cowles was absent. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Discussion regarding a Charter amendment concerning an Independent Ethics Commission. (Commissioner Greenberg) The presentation on an Independent Ethics Commission was made by Commissioner Greenberg. A request for the final report made to the council was requested be distributed to the Commission. 1 DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3. Discussion and possible action on the Petition Process Working Groups initial recommendation report on revisions to the petition process. (Commissioners Cowles, Dwyer, and McGiverin) The petition process work group presented current findings and require to meet with Caroline Webster to gain clarification on code/charter language and to obtain public input. Continue discussion of draft proposals at the January 30, 2024 meeting. 4. Discussion and possible action on the Initiative/Charter/Referendum Mechanics Work Groups initial recommendation on proposition lettering. (Commissioners Altamirano, Botkin, and Ortega) The mechanics work group provided an overview of proposed recommendations; most to be drafted with revisions discussed and ready to act on the draft proposals at the January 30, 2024, meeting. The motion to approve the Draft “Conflicting Initiatives” was approved on Commissioner Greenberg’s motion, Commissioner Ortega’s second on a 10-0 vote. Commissioner Cowles absent. 5. Discussion and possible action on Recall Petitions Work Group recommendations. (Commissioner Van Maanen) No action was taken, further discussion to occur at the January 30, 2024 meeting. 6. Discussion and possible action regarding community engagement of the Charter Review process from the Outreach Work Group. The 2024 CRC Survey Results were presented by Mia Warner, CPIO and Saul Gray, CPIO. Discussion was had to conduct two hybrid Town Hall meetings to obtain public input. Consideration of conducting offsite townhalls was discussed and asked that information regarding the process of conducting offsite townhall meetings. 7. Discussion and possible action on the identification and creation of additional Work Groups. The motion to approve the creation of an Independent Ethics Commission was made on Commissioner Greenberg’s motion. The motion failed for lack of a second. 8. Discussion and possible action of future meetings and meeting location. Discussion to conduct Town Hall meetings and proposed dates to be established to schedule. 2 FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 9. The Commission may discuss and identify future agenda items, topics, or presentations. Item on City Attorney (Commissioner McGiverin) • • Follow up information on State Law regarding Ethics Review Commission (Caroline Webster) • Proposed Town Hall dates (Commission) • Presentation by the law department on proposed Charter Recommendation changes (Caroline Webster) ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned without objection at 8:22 pm. The minutes were approved on January 30, 2024 on Commissioner Botkin’s motion, Commissioner Cowles second on an 8-0 vote. Commissioner’s Cowles and Lasch were off the dais. Vice Chair Garcia was absent. 3