HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 07191994 - 2.4 i
2.4
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra
FROM: Supervisor Jeff Smith
Costa
Phil Batchelor, County Administrator
County
7'�Lw
DATE: July 15 1994
SUBJECT: PROPOSED BETTER GOVERNMENT ORDINANCE
SPECIFIC REQUE$T(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1 . ACKNOWLEDGE that County Department Heads agree there are steps
that can be taken to improve the public 's access to their
local government and to make government more open and
responsive.
2 . ACKNOWLEDGE that Supervisor Smith and the County Administrator
have established a Task Force of County Department Heads and
other staff that will meet with the media to discuss what
actions can be taken to improve access to government and to
make government more open and responsive to requests for
information.
BACKGROUND:
On June 14 , 1994, Supervisor Smith presented a proposed "Better
Government" Ordinance designed to improve the availability of
documents and information to the general public as well as the
media, make local government more open and responsive to the public
and the media. The proposed Ordinance was referred to the County
Administrator and County Counsel for their review and report back
to the Board of Supervisors .
On June 28, 1994, the Board of Supervisors further asked that we
circulate the proposed Ordinance to all County Department Heads for
their comments .
A meeting has been held with Supervisor Smith on July 14, 1994, to
which all County Department Heads were invited, to review the
provisions of the Ordinance, raise questions and concerns and
clarify the intent and application of the Ordi nc .
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER r 4
e
SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON July i9, i994 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
The Board APPROVED Recommendations 1 and 2 above, and in addition, added No. 3 as follows:
3. REQUEST the Task Force to report to the Board of Supervisors with final language'\for
the proposed Better Government Ordinance and an explanation of exactly what the ordinance
will do in order to improve access to government and to the information government uses to
make decisions.
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED July 19 1994
Contact: PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
cc: Supervisor Jeff Smith SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
County Administrator 1
All County Department Heads (Via CAO)
BY ,DEPUTY
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At this latter meeting there was concurrence from Department Heads
that there is certainly something County staff can and should do to
insure that County government is as responsive, open and accessible
as possible. A Task Force of Department Heads has been formed, to
include at least the following:
• Supervisor Jeff Smith, as liaison from the Board of
Supervisors
• The County Administrator
• The Sheriff-Coroner
• The District Attorney
• The County Clerk-Recorder
• The County Counsel
• The Social Service Director
• The Health Services Director
• The Community Development Director
• Manager of Data Processing Services
This Task Force has agreed to invite representatives from the media
to meet with it to discuss actions that can be taken by the County
to improve the responsiveness, openness and accessibility of County
government.
We will report back to the Board following the first series of
these meetings with further recommendations .