Austin City Council MINUTES WORKSESSION WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2002 The following represents the actions taken by the Austin City Council in the order they occurred during the meeting. While the minutes are not in sequential order, all agenda items were discussed. The City Council of Austin, Texas convened in a Work Session on Wednesday, February 27, 2002 at One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Road, third floor training room, Austin, Texas. Mayor Garcia called the meeting to order at 10:16 a.m. Mayor Garcia recessed the meeting at 10:18 a.m. to go into Executive Session EXECUTIVE SESSION The City Council went into Executive Session, pursuant to Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code, to receive advice from Legal Counsel, to discuss matters of land acquisition, litigation, and personnel matters as specifically listed on this agenda and to receive advice from Legal Counsel regarding any other item on this agenda. 1. Discuss legal issues related to proposed Charter amendments about Police Monitor and police personnel records. Executive session ended at 11:18 a.m. Mayor Garcia called the meeting back to order at 11:34 a.m. BRIEFING 2. Discuss a charter amendment to be placed on the May 4, 2002, ballot, to change the terms and the method of election of the City Council from election at large to a method including the election of members from geographical districts, or to a method combining at-large and district elections. The presentation was made by Mr. Ryan Robinson, Demographer; and Stephen Yelenosky, President, Charter Review Commission. 3. Discuss the Charter Revision Committee Report to City Council concerning charter amendments to be placed on the May 4, 2002, ballot, including: The item was postponed to February 28, 2002. Items considered and recommended: A. Repeal of term limits for Mayor and Council. (Article 2, Section 3) B. Lowering the percentage of qualified voter signatures required on a petition to initiate an ordinance. (Article 4, Section 1) C. Repeal of the Charter section regarding campaign contributions and expenditures. (Article 3, Section 8) D. The Committee recommendation that the City Council does not place an alternative to the citizen initiated "Austin Fair Elections Act" on the May 4, 2002 ballot. E. Increasing the City Manager's administrative purchase authority and clarifying mat the City Manager's administrative purchase authority with respect to any one contract applies to each year of the contract rather than the entire life of the contract. (Article 7, Section 15) F. City Council appointment of a police monitor and a police oversight board. G. A Charter amendment providing that the city shall not maintain a confidential personnel file for a police officer. Items considered and not recommended: A. Repeal of the Charter provision requiring newly elected city officers publish a campaign expense statement in an Austin newspaper. (Article 3, Section 7) B. Creation of an independent electric utility governing board appointed by City Council. C. City Council appointment of Austin Energy's general manager. D. City Auditor authority to hire specialists. E. City Council appointment of a consumer advocate. F. City Council appointment of the City Attorney. The item was postponed to February 28, 2002. 4. Discuss other items to be placed on the May 4, 2002, ballot, including: A. A resign-to-run provision for municipal court judges and employees hired by the Council. The item was postponed to February 28, 2002. The motion to adjourn the meeting at 12:50 p.m. was approved on Council Member Alvarez' motion, Council Member Griffith's second by a 7-0 vote. The minutes from the regular meeting of February 7, 2002, from the Work Session of February 27, 2002 and the regular meeting of February 28, 2002 were approved on Council Member Wynn's motion, Mayor Garcia's second by a 7-0 vote