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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12021997 - C129 TC1 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SE _.. Contra FROM: BETTER GOVERNMENT TASK FORCE Fri Costa 8'� 's �9F ., . DATE: November 19, 1997 '��s� .�P� Count y SUBJECT: STATUS REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BETTER GOVERNMENT TASK FORCE SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. REQUEST the Clerk of the Board to add a notation to the Board agenda each week that the Closed Session agenda is available upon request from the Clerk of the Board. 2. REQUEST the County Counsel, when responding to a Public Records Act request, to advise the individual making the request of the availability of the Public Information Advisor to mediate any unresolved issues. 3. AUTHORIZE the Better Government Task Force to prepare and distribute a brochure which provides information on the Better Government Ordinance and Public Information Advisor. The brochure can then be distributed to advisory bodies, libraries and otherwise be made available to the general public to better publicize the existence of the Ordinance and the availability of the Public Information Advisor. 4. AGREE that the member of the Board of Supervisors who is appointed to the Better Government Task Force will automatically serve as Chair of the Task Force. 5. ACKNOWLEDGE that the Better Government Task Force has agreed to meet on a semi-annual basis unless the Chair sees a need for more frequent meetings. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COU DMINISTRATOR R COMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OT ER SIGNATURE (S): DONNA GER , CHAIR O THE TASK FORCE ACTION OF BOARD ON December 2, 1997' APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED x OTHER 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 Decenber 2, 1997 Contact: PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF cc: County Administrator County Counsel SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Members, Better Government Task Force (Via CAO) All County Department Heads(Via CAO) BY DEPUTY i` BACKGROUND: In February 1995, the Board of Supervisors adopted a Better Government Ordinance. The Ordinance provides for a Better Government Task Force of nine members and prescribes its composition and duties. The members of the Task Force were initially appointed in the Fall of 1995. The Task Force met on a fairly regular basis throughout 1996 and prepared recommendations to the Board of Supervisors for the appointment of a Public Information Advisor who could mediate any disputes between the County and members of the media or the public over the release of documents or information. The Board of Supervisors approved this process in August 1996 and appointed an Advisor and an assistant Advisor. The Task Force is also charged with overseeing the implementation of the Better Government Ordinance. With the appointment of the Public Information Advisor and approval of the process which would be followed by the Advisor, the Task Force felt that its principal task had been completed and inactivated itself during most of 1997. The Task Force met again on November 12, 1997 to determine how the implementation of the Ordinance was proceeding. All County Departments were surveyed and asked to identify any problems with the Ordinance and any amendments which were needed to the Ordinance. At the Task Force's November 12, 1997 meeting it was reported that there were no identified problems with the implementation of the Ordinance and no cases had been brought to the attention of the Public Information Advisor. It was noted that while the Board's agenda is available on the County's Web Page on the Internet, the Closed Session agenda is not available on the Internet, although it is always available from the Clerk of the Board. The Task Force believes it would be helpful if the Clerk of the Board were to note on the Board's agenda that the Closed Session agenda is available from the Clerk's Office. In an effort to further inform the public that the County has a Better Government Ordinance and a Public Information Advisor, the Task Force has asked the County Counsel, in any case in which his office is involved in responding to a Public Records Act request, to advise the requesting party that there is a Public Information Advisor available to mediate any disputes if there is a difference of opinion regarding what information can and cannot be released. County Counsel advised the Task Force that his office will shortly be updating all departments on amendments to the Brown Act and asking that they, in turn, advise all of the advisory bodies which they staff of the provisions of the Brown Act and the Better Government Ordinance. As an additional resource in informing the public about the Better Government Ordinance and the Public Information Advisor, the Task Force believes that a brief brochure should be produced which can be distributed widely to advisory bodies, county departments, library branches, the County's Web Page, CCTV and the general public to indicate that the County has a Better Government Ordinance and a Public Information Advisor. The Task Force will continue to monitor the implementation of the Ordinance and will meet on a semi-annual basis for this purpose. The Task Force also voted unanimously that the member of the Board of Supervisors who is appointed to the Task Force would serve as Chair of the Task Force. The Task Force is asking the Board of Supervisors to confirm all of the above requests and decisions and is, therefore, making the above recommendations. -2-