City Council Announcements
June 14, 2011
A. Information Needed by Council Staff
1. POSSIBLE RETREAT DATES
The following are the possible dated and times for a Council Retreat:
•Friday, July 15: Afternoon
•Monday, July 18: Afternoon
•Friday, July 22: Afternoon
•Friday, August 5: Afternoon
•Monday, August 8: All Day
Do any of these days work for the Full Council? Ms. Gust-Jenson said Councilmember Garrott had previously suggested an out-of-town retreat. After some discussion, Ms. Gust-Jenson said none of the above dates seemed to work, so staff would try to come back by the end of the evening with a new set of dates for Council consideration.
2. FALSE FIRE ALARM FEE
The Council recently discussed the proposed ordinance to create a fee for False Fire Alarms generated by system errors. The Council discussed this in conjunction with the briefing on the Fire Department FY 2012 budget, although the ordinance was transmitted to the Council Office too late to be included with the rest of the budget ordinances. At the briefing, the Council indicated they were ok with moving forward with a public hearing in July. Because of the timing of July meetings, it will be difficult to get sufficient notice out to affected parties unless the Council approves staff advertising early.
Council staff would like to know if it is ok with the Council for staff to begin advertising in the next week or so for a public hearing on July 19th, and then confirm the date on the July 12th agenda? A majority of the Council was in favor.
3. JULY COUNCIL MEETING DATES
The July Council meeting schedule is proposed to change to July 12 and 19. RDA is recommended for July 19.
Two Council Members will be out on July 12 but three may have been out on the previously discussed date of July 26.
The Chair has suggested that we avoid scheduling items of particular interest to Districts Seven and Five on July 12 in order to accommodate previously set schedules to the extent possible.
Is the Council agreeable? Councilmember Love said some Council Members would be absent on both dates (July 12th or 26th) so we will have to flip a coin. Ms. Gust-Jenson said staff would continue to work on the schedule.
4. REDISTRICTING (Attached is the Policy Statement for your review)
5.
The Council has received an invitation to attend the State Redistricting Committee meeting that will be held this Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. This meeting is part of a series of meetings the State Redistricting Committee will hold in locations throughout the state to seek public input.
One Council Member has suggested reading a policy statement to the committee about the principles and process that the Salt Lake City Council has adopted. Based upon feedback from other Council Members, the following statement has been drafted:
• The formation of a working group with members of the community to assist the Council in the process of redrawing district boundaries.
• The importance of keeping School Board boundaries compact and contiguous.
• The efforts by the Council are to ensure an outreach process that allows the public to be part of the process, and to provide input
‘. The need to provide access to redistricting software that allows individuals, advocacy groups, and government and business leaders to draw maps and submit them for the working group’s consideration.
The policy statement also urges the Redistricting Committee to keep Salt Lake City in one Congressional district.
Do Council Members approve the content of the policy statement and its presentation to the Redistricting Committee? Councilmember Christensen said he understood there were two meeting dates. Brady Wheeler said another meeting was scheduled for July 20, 2011. Councilmember Love suggested waiting until the July meeting and take more time to prepare a statement. Councilmember Christensen suggested creating a sub-committee.
With your approval of the statement and its presentation, who is Council interested in sending to read the letter before State Redistricting Committee?
Members of the Redistricting Committee:
The Salt Lake City Council has begun the process of redistricting boundaries for City Council and Salt Lake City School Board Districts. To date, the Council has provided the following direction that will guide the redistricting process in Salt Lake City along with City, State and Federal law.
The Council will:
Form a working group with members of the community to assist the Council as the boundaries are redrawn.
Ensure an outreach process that allows the public be part of the process and to provide input.
Provide access to redistricting software that allows individuals, advocacy groups, and government and business leaders to draw maps and submit them for the Working Group’s consideration.
-Align School Board boundaries so that they are substantially equal in population and contiguous and compact as practicable.
The Council also urges the Redistricting Committee to group Salt Lake City residents into a single Congressional district. As the urban capital of the State of Utah, our City and its residents would have their concerns best represented by having the entire City in the same congressional district.
We, as the Salt Lake City Council, recommend the Redistricting Committee and State Legislature solicit, consider, and address the public’s input and concerns in order to ensure an impartial outcome, which benefits all of Utah’s residents.