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02/24/1990 - Minutes Minutes of the City Council and Staff Retreat February 24, 1990 9 : 00 a.m. to 4 :45 p.m. Peery Hotel 300 South 110 West Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 Mezzanine Room In Attendance: Ronald J. Whitehead, District One; Wayne Horrocks, District Two; Nancy Pace, District Three; Alan Hardman, District Four; Tom Godfrey, District Five; Roselyn Kirk, District Six; Don Hale, District Seven; Cindy Gust-Jenson, Executive Director; Ed Snow, Community Relations Coordinator; Cam Caldwell, Auditor/Budget Analyst; Janne Nielson, Administrative Assistant; Lea Shepherd, Staff Assistant; Emilie Charles, Executive Assistant; Brad Stewart, Public Works Assistant Director; Sheryl Gillilan, Senior Budget Analyst to the Mayor; Harry Gibbons, City/County Health Department Director; Dan Kinnersley, Health Education; John Morgan, Health Department Associate Director; Gene Devenport, Supervisor of City/County Health Department; Brian Mullahy, Reporter; Kristie Snow, Reporter; LaVarr Webb, Reporter. Chairman, Alan Hardman called the meeting to order and told the Council staff that he appreciated them taking time on a Saturday to come to the retreat. Councilmember Hardman then asked if anyone needed to state items prior to the recycling discussion. Executive Director, Cindy Gust-Jenson stated that the Salt Palace Renovation Expansion Breakfast had been cancelled. Janne Nielson, Administrative Assistant apologized for the parking lot being barricaded. She stated that the Hotel did not have control of the parking lot and that she had not been advised of this prior to the meeting. She stated that if anyone received a ticket they should give them to her because the Hotel would be providing her with parking validations. Councilmember Hardman then asked if anyone had any further statements. Councilmember Hardman then requested that Sheryl Gillilan begin the discussion on Recycling. Sheryl Gillilan, Senior Budget Analyst, stated that the recycling committee currently has approximately sixty members. She stated that before she began the recycling discussion she wanted to brief the Council on the history and background of the Recycling Committee. Ms. Gillilan then stated that the items she wanted to address were to incorporate the Council with ideas of action to become involved in recycling efforts. Councilmember Hardman stated that he needed to interrupt. He stated that Vice Chair, Nancy Pace would be overseeing the meeting from approximately 11: 00 to 12 : 00 while he was out on business. Councilmember Hardman then passed the meeting back to Ms. Gillilan. Ms. Gillilan began with the history of the Recycling Committee. She stated that the committee was started 3-3 1/2 years ago with the Newspaper for Trees campaign by Mayor Palmer DePaulis, who at that time was the Public Works Director. Ms. Gillilan stated that the idea for this program was to use the money received from recycled newspapers to plant new trees in the City parks. The newspapers for this project were recovered by Salt Lake City residents who placed their old newspapers on the curb every first garbage day of the month, and a few newspaper recycling bins were designated. Ms. Gillilan stated that the program has not been as successful as it could be because there have been problems with the curb side pick-up and a lack of public awareness. She stated that John Bennion of the School District has agreed to allow blue dumpsters to be placed in the school yards to increase the volume of recycled newspapers and public awareness. Ms. Gillilan stated that public relations is needed to increase the awareness of the public to recycling issues and why it is important to the environment. She stated that approximately 2 1/2 years ago, a flyer was placed in water bills of Salt Lake City residents and that this increased the volume of recycled materials. She stated that she would like to see a 50% volume increase in recycling. Ms. Gillilan then stated that Lynne Olson, who is a constituent in Councilmember Hales' District was recruited by Steve Schwabb to serve on the Recycling Committee and that she had helped expand the committee to its current level of members and has been beneficial to the program. Ms. Gillilan stated that she is receiving many phone calls requesting information on how to serve on the committee. She stated that the committee meets once a month and that there are five subcommittees. Ms. Gillilan stated that the research development for recycling is done by looking at other Cities and how they have dealt with similar situations and if their tactics were successful. Ms. Gillilan stated that 86% of the Avenues area is involved in recycling efforts and that the Leaf Bag Program has a 62% participation rate. She stated that the Committee hopes to arrange for curb side pick-up of the leaf bags to increase participation in this program. Ms. Gillilan stated that a subcommittee has donated time to create a brochure on recycling center locations listing the times they are open and the items they will accept. The Pick-up Centers are paying for the cost of the advertising and they will be distributed to residents inside their water billings in approximately one month. Councilmember Whitehead asked if the Legislative Subcommittee has been following Legislative issues affecting recycling. Ms. Gillilan stated that some bills have been introduced and that a bill submitted by Representative Beverly White was a good bill that involved recycling bottles but that it had not been passed. Ed Snow stated that there are mostly teachers on the subcommittee and that they want to provide curriculum for students on recycling issues. Ms. Gillilan stated that an Earth Day Celebration is being sponsored by Lynn Olson which will include booths on recycling efforts. Ms. Gillilan stated that the Earth Day Committee has been recognized nationally for its efforts. Councilmember Hardman asked if a list was available of printers that use recycled paper. Ms. Gillilan stated that it is difficult to find printers that use recycled paper and that the City has received varied responses from companies when they have been asked about using recycled paper. She stated that developing a recycling market was a key issue to increasing the usage of recycled paper. Ms. Gillilan stated that in the Eastern United States trash that had been sorted for recycling was being transported to the Landfill because there was not enough demand for the recycled supply. She indicated that Salt Lake City must develop a market for recycled goods to avoid this situation because the recycling market is based on a supply and demand basis and without the demand the efforts would be useless. Councilmember Hardman noted that recycled paper is more costly than virgin paper and asked why this condition existed. Ms. Gillilan stated that because the lumber companies are subsidizing the paper industry it is cheaper to buy virgin paper. Ms. Gillilan then stated that there is a Legislative bill being proposed to eliminate this problem by decreasing the lumber company subsidies. This would phase in the use of recycled paper, which in turn would decrease the cost, making it more attractive to the public. Ms. Gillilan stated that Cities need to become involved in recycling paper by training employees. She stated that several offices in Salt Lake City are currently involved in recycling paper and that it is not difficult. She stated that it requires the sorting of different paper types individually and placing it in boxes and calling the recycling company when an adequate supply has been recovered. She stated that the Finance Department has boxes under each desk where the employee discards used paper, and that when the box is full they empty it at a central location until enough paper has been recovered to call Fiber Recovery to come pick up the paper to have it recycled. She stated that the money received from the recycled paper is placed in the General Fund. Ms. Gillilan stated that the City needs to compile a report for the citizens telling them how to sort recyclable items, how to compost, etc. to decrease the amount of items that are being sent to the landfill. She stated that Brad Stewart would brief the Council on the landfill in more detail. Mr. Stewart stated that the land fill is clay lined and meets all E.P.A. requirements but disposal of items such as grass clippings and leaves at the land fill are creating unsanitary conditions. He stated that a leaf bag composting program will be implemented this year on a trial basis to try and combat this problem. He stated that volunteers will break open the bags and place the leaves in the sun to compost. Next summer, residents will be able to purchase the compost for a minimal fee to use in their gardens, etc. Mr. Stewart stated that the Recycling Committee Speaker's Bureau wants to do presentations in schools, private business's and the like, to increase public awareness. He stated that they are currently working on establishing recycling centers for neighborhoods, and that they have already established several neighborhood recycling centers such as the Sugarhouse, McIntyre, and New Frontiers centers. He stated that Lynne Olson had established the New Frontiers location and it has been the busiest location to date. Councilmember Godfrey stated that about ten years ago, the Council had tried to use recycled paper but that it had clogged the machines. Ms. Gillilan stated that today's recycled paper is a much higher grade and that some magazines are printed on recycled paper. She then passed around a copy of Garbage magazine and stated that they used recycled paper and asked the Council to see that it was a high quality paper. Emilie Charles, Executive Assistant stated that Mayor DePaulis is dealing with the items Sheryl Gillilan talked about. Ms. Charles stated that the Mayor wants a commitment from the Council to help with recycling efforts, which would include becoming involved in legislative issues and providing support if needed. Ms. Charles stated that Mayor DePaulis was planning to present recycling issues to the department heads of the City. Ms. Charles stated that the City is obtaining ideas for recycling efforts by observing conflicts and resolutions on the East and West Coasts. She stated that New York has budgeted five million dollars to provide financial incentives to companies who support recycling efforts. Ms. Gillilan stated that the bottle industry in Utah is not very strong and that Oregon has a very good recycling program. She stated that marketing development is needed, and that if all City departments participated in recycling paper, general fund revenues would be increased, and Bell Corporation earns $200, 000 annually on recycling paper. Ms. Gillilan stated that other areas to decrease paper consumption would be to duplex all items that are copied. She stated that the City Budget would be printed on recycled paper this year. Ms. Charles stated that the Earth Day 1990 Celebration will run for one week and that support from the Council and other elected officials would be required to increase public support. She indicated that they were working on developing an Earth Day Newsletter. Ms. Gillilan stated that 20 years ago the Federal Government was to have investigated recycling issues by establishing a List Recycling Committee. The Committee was going to establish a market for recycled goods. She stated that an example of this theory is the drug problem, i.e. , that drugs are in demand and therefore there is a large supply. She stated that this approach should work for creating a market for recycled goods. Ms. Gillilan stated that Earth Care magazine lists items you can purchase that come from all recycled goods. The items include wrapping paper, cards, writing paper, etc. Councilmember Horrocks asked for a copy of an article on how to make compost. Ms. Gillilan stated that there is a resource library in the Community Affairs office which has been indexed and is updated monthly and that he could find articles on composting there. Councilmember Hardman asked if the library was located within the City & County building, Ms. Gillilan said that it was located in the Community Affairs office. Councilmember Pace said that she would like to address recycling efforts at her District Meeting and asked Ms. Gillilan to present a report. Ms. Gillilan indicated that she would do this. Councilmember Godfrey stated that the Community Councils have brought up recycling issues at many Council meetings. Ms. Gillilan stated that the Speakers Bureau would be a good candidate for speaking to the Community Councils on recycling efforts. Councilmember Godfrey stated that recycling in Atlanta, Georgia is a 1/2 million dollar item and that he is surprised glass recycling is a problem in Utah. Ms. Gillilan stated that the Recycling Companies will place dumpsters in neighborhoods for recycling if requested. She stated that the most popular items for recycling are egg cartons which are recycled newspaper; plastics, which are recycled for insulation and used in carpet fibers; and aluminum. Councilmember Kirk asked if there is a cost to the community to provide the dumpsters in the area. Ms. Gillilan stated that the Recycling Companies are willing to pick up the cost of the dumpsters and place them in the neighborhoods. Councilmember Godfrey asked if volunteers were the only thing needed to operate a recycling dumpster. Ms. Gillilan stated that they all are operated by volunteers and that the dumpster area must be kept clean and accessible by the volunteers. Ms. Charles asked if the volunteers only duty was to keep things in order or if they were required to sort items as well. Ms. Gillilan stated that items are already sorted when they are placed in the separate bins and volunteers were required only to keep the area tidy. Councilmember Whitehead asked if all the capital costs would be covered by the recycling companies to have a dumpster placed in Rose Park. Ms. Gillilan stated that all costs would be covered but that before they would place a dumpster in the area, volunteers would need to be recruited to keep the area clean. Ms. Gillilan stated that Salt Lake City is the only location in the State which provides some curbside pick-up. Ms. Charles stated that the philosophy behind recycling is to get the community involved. Councilmember Pace stated that she felt reluctance from the community to become involved because they didn't know how to separate items correctly and that education was a key factor in getting the community involved. Ms. Gillilan stated that education needs to be done a little at a time. Councilmember Hale agreed that education was the key to community support. Ms. Gillilan stated that the people who take their items to centers for recycling are paid directly for the recyclable goods and that if they used the community dumpsters, the community would get the money. She stated that some individuals would choose to continue taking their items to private recyclers. Councilmember Hale stated that he has witnessed homeless people going through garbage looking for glass and asked if any glass is recycled here in Utah. Ms. Gillilan stated that glass is recycled, but that it must be separated into colors. She stated that glass and aluminum have been recycled for quite some time and that aluminum currently goes for $. 35 cents a pound; glass is $.85 cents per pound in other states, but here it is less. Ms. Gillilan stated that the cleaning staff of the City & County building currently goes through the trash and recovers all aluminum cans for recycling. Ms. Charles stated that Community Affairs, the Mayors Office, and Finance currently recycle paper. She stated that Mayor DePaulis is requesting that all departments become involved in recycling efforts. Ms. Gillilan stated that she would like to get the entire building active in recycling and have someone come and pick-up the recyclable items on a regular basis without us having to notify them approximately once a month or as needed. She stated that currently many recyclable items have to be shipped to out of state locations to be recycled, so that the costs for recycling these items are higher than they would be if local recycling centers were available. Councilmember Hardman asked about the recycling of the Christmas trees and how the trees were recycled. Mr. Stewart indicated that the trees are taken to the University of Utah and used as mulch. He stated that newspaper, aluminum, asphalt, office paper, and other metals are currently being recycled in Utah. Mr. Stewart stated that the tire bill which recently passed in the 1990 Legislative Session would create a surcharge for recycling used tires by charging consumers a recycling tax when they purchase tires and when the tires were returned for recycling the consumer would receive a refund from the dividend money that would be held in a surcharge account. He stated that the idea is to create a demand for recycling. Mr. Stewart indicated that trash piles go down at spring clean-up time when people find items they can use and take them from other trash piles and that the leaf clean-up bags contribute to less garbage being sent to the landfill. Mr. Stewart stated that Dave Monson had started a individual program where garbage is placed on a conveyor belt and sorted for recyclable items. The recyclable items are then hauled separately to recycling centers and the trash is hauled to the landfill. He stated that Davis County burns its trash and sells the steam to Hill Airforce Base to use, and that Ogden is using acid hydrotisis which is a new experiment to test the possibility of using acid to breakdown trash, and fermenting the acid/trash remains to use for energy. Mr. Stewart stated that the City/County Health Department could charge a $. 25 cent surcharge for landfill dumping to raise funds for public education on how to recycle, and how to properly dispose hazardous waste. He indicated that currently a hazardous waste center is to open only four times per year. Mr. Stewart indicated that the $.25 cent surcharge would be used to fund a full time position and that this person could monitor recycling in the area. He indicated that the public cannot be forced to recycle, but that we need to select the right items to recycle at the right time or it would be impossible to keep the recycling effort going. Mr. Stewart stated that a consultants draft report will be addressed on March 2, 1990 at the County Commissioner's office. The draft findings indicated that 1) garbage flow could be decreased by 650, 000 tons per year, by decreasing the Salt Lake City garbage flow to 53 , 000 tons per year, and decreasing leaf disposal to 1, 000 tons, while keeping the other waste disposals at their current level, and 2) that other City ideas are feasible. He stated that these recommendations are economically feasible and that the success rate of these methods in communities has been high. Mr. Stewart stated that the pie chart included in the packet indicates that the highest waste areas are from paper and yard waste. The specific activity recommendations were to create a drop-off center network where office paper can be recycled, and have yard recycled to be used as compost which would create a reaction for Salt Lake County to follow suit. Mr. Stewart stated that Salt Lake City will be operating a pilot leaf mulching program this year. The leaves that are collected in the bags at the annual clean-up will be taken to the landfill, broken open by employees, and placed on a concrete block to decompose into mulch. The following year, this mulch will be available to the public for use in their gardens, etc. for a small fee. Mr. Stewart stated that there is a lot of controversy over biodegradable versus non-degradable items and that the items advertising themselves as being biodegradable are three times as expensive as non-degradable items when in fact they are not biodegradable. He indicated that the companies marketing these products are making false claims. Mr. Stewart stated that paper bags do not decompose as quickly as leaves and that the same theory holds true to other items as well because the landfill does not have the elements required for decomposition which are oxygen, light, and water. Mr. Stewart stated that a pilot plan is being considered for recycling wood products. Mr. Stewart stated that currently soil and liquid waste is being sent to another landfill where these items are cleaned and combined to create compost which is used to treat the soil at the landfill to create better soil conditions. Councilmember Horrocks asked if the sludge was combined with water in this process. Mr. Stewart indicated that the water waste comes from the water waste treatment plant and it is blended with soil at the landfill to create the compost. Councilmember Pace indicated that the public should be educated to use cloth diapers instead of disposables. Ms. Gillilan stated that children need to be changed more when disposable diapers are used and that issues like this and the fact that human waste is hazardous to the landfill are being addressed more frequently to educate the public. She stated that the chemicals in disposal diapers can create diaper rash when they become wet. Ms. Gillilan stated that welfare systems have tried to obtain the defective disposable diapers for welfare recipients and that the companies would not donate them and instead destroyed them. She stated that currently there is one diaper service in Salt Lake City and that welfare is looking into providing cloth diapers with velcro closures to its recipients. She stated that the diaper company picks up the diapers once a week and that the family does not need to wash them out before they are picked up. Councilmember Hardman asked if time was of the essence to prevent a garbage disaster. He indicated that in Atlanta, Georgia, they have public drop-off centers at their Fire Stations and that Salt Lake City should do the same. Mr. Stewart stated that the recommendation for public entities to participate has been in effect but that an agency or department needs to be established as a drop-off center location. Ms. Charles stated that the Mayor would need to have an individual or department handle the recycling efforts if a public entity became a drop-off center. Councilmember Hardman asked if an Executive Order Ordinance would be needed to begin the recycling process within the City. Ms. Charles stated that an Executive Order or Procedure would be needed. Ms. Gillilan stated that the costs to initiate a recycling program would be higher in the beginning, but that if the Government Agencies were to become involved in recycling efforts, it would be a good start to create community action. Councilmember Hardman asked if the money received from recycling items from the City offices would be returned to the City. Ms. Gillilan stated that the money could be returned to the General Fund or placed into a city program such as the Newspaper for Trees program. Mr. Stewart stated that recycling is the right thing to do and that this needs to be stressed, not the fact that money can be made if you recycle items. Ms. Gillilan stated that Seattle, Washington has had a mandatory recycling program and that it costs $31. 00 per month for a 31 gallon garbage can, and $2 . 00 per month for yard waste disposal. Councilmember Hardman asked if there were any pressing questions before the Council took a break. Councilmember Kirk asked about the newspaper recycling program and its effectiveness. Ms. Gillilan stated that the contract for newspaper recycling had been extended another six months, but that the curbside pick-up of newspapers would probably be eliminated because it has not been successful. Councilmember Godfrey stated that the Boy Scouts have a curbside newspaper pick-up program and that the public has not been informed of this. Councilmember Kirk stated that a Deseret News article had been written by one of her former students, who is now a free lance writer, concerning recycling issues. The article stated that free-lance writers should be used more frequently to increase public awareness on recycling efforts. Ms. Charles stated that NBC has highlighted the Mayor's Recycling Committee in an effort to establish higher recycling participation and that the Mayor is inviting the Council to participate or take a lead in the Recycling Committee. She stated that former Councilmember Fonnesbeck had written a letter to the Mayor requesting that a Councilmember be assigned to represent the Council on the recycling committee and that perhaps Councilmember Pace could become involved since she had taken over this district. Councilmember Hardman indicated that he had a meeting to attend and would leave the retreat for approximately 2 hours and that Nancy Pace, Vice Chair would conduct the meeting during his absence. The meeting was adjourned for a break. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS The meeting was called to order at 11: 05 by Vice Chair Pace. She indicated that the next item on the agenda was a briefing on emergency preparedness. Harry Gibbons, City/County Health Department Director; Dan Kinnersley, Health Education; John Morgan, Associate Director; and Gene Devenport, Supervisor were present to brief the Council and Council staff. Dr. Gibbons stated that Salt Lake City has an important role in emergency preparedness education. He stated that Ms. Gust-Jenson serves on the Board of Health and that Mr. Devenport has a working relationship with the City. Dr. Gibbons stated that Salt Lake City is not adequately prepared for an earthquake and that the Fire Department and the Salt Lake City Council need to set an example for the community to be prepared in the event of a disaster. Dr. Gibbons stated that one way to set an example is to have adequate water storage because the water pressure will be low in the event of an earthquake due to fires in the area. He stated that the water can be stored in plastic bottles, using 1 teaspoon of clorox per five gallon container to keep the water safe. He stated that the water storage life is one year and that after that time, the water should be changed. Dr. Gibbons stated that many plastic bottles may be used for storage such as 2 liter pop bottles and soda concentrate bottles, but that milk containers were not safe to use. Councilmember Kirk stated that Clorox bottles are not safe to use because of chemicals that the containers are made out of. Councilmember Hale indicated that he used the plastic soda concentrate bottles in his businesses and asked if the City/County Health Department is interested in acquiring more bottles. Dr. Gibbons stated that they were and that Councilmember Hale should not discard the bottles and that they would pick them up and distribute them to the necessary areas. Dr. Gibbons stated that he is encouraging consumers to carry a carbon monoxide card monitor with them because during the event of an earthquake chimneys may slip and carbon monoxide would be allowed into the house if the family was using the fireplaces for heating because gas lines would be damaged and consumers could not use gas to heat their homes. He stated that the carbon monoxide monitor cards are sold by different manufactures and they are trying to locate a new source because the current sources are too expensive. Dr. Gibbons asked the Council if they had any questions. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that seven water storage bottles had been brought for the Council and that they could take these home after the meeting. Councilmember Hale stated that he would like to become involved and that the Council staff could get other bottles if the health department needed them. Dr. Gibbons stated that the recycling of tires will provide economic benefits to the City and that chopping of the tires is usually how they are recycled and made into fuel products. He stated that burning the tires is also done and that the air pollution is minimal when it is done properly. Dr. Gibbons stated that crumbling of the tires is now being done and that the by-product is used in school tracks and on roadways. He stated that this increases the cost of the road but at the same time it increases the lifespan of the road three times over an asphalt road and that the Utah climate may increase the lifespan even further. Councilmember Horrocks asked if this procedure was developed in the Netherlands. Dr. Gibbons stated that he thought it was and that currently Germany and Japan are using these methods and reporting on its effectiveness and the broadness of its recycling capabilities. Councilmember Horrocks asked if the City/County Health Department was going to take advantage of the new legislative bill to charge a recycling tax on tires. Dr. Gibbons stated that they are researching the idea of paying the recycler $20. 00 per ton to recycle the tires. Mr. Morgan stated that the magnitude of a major earthquake is not known and that we should prepare for the worst. He stated that a County Geologist hired three years ago to complete an earthquake study had indicated that twelve fault lines are in the Salt Lake Area and that an earthquake would effect the ability for workers in the public sector to assist the citizens. Mr. Morgan stated that the City/County Health Department has a plan of action in the event of an emergency and that the citizens should store items in their homes in the event of an emergency which would include 1) water storage in several area in case access is limited, 2) clothing and shoes, due to no heat, broken glass, etc. , 3) an alternative method of heat, wood being preferred, 4) food storage, and 5 ) a flashlight and radio. Mr. Morgan stated that it would be important to reduce panic in the event of an earthquake. Mr. Morgan stated that the area where the earthquake will be is not known and that the first 72 hours would be the most critical. He stated that water testing equipment needs to be placed in areas throughout the valley so that the water can be tested to verify its cleanliness in the event of an emergency. He stated that individuals should have enough water storage to last for a week. Mr. Morgan stated that the City/County Health Department disaster plan consisted of taking care of oneself to take care of others. He stated that responsibilities have been assigned to the employees to check on the families of fellow employees who would be helping with the disaster. Dr. Gibbons stated that the Oakland, California Public Works Director had indicated that a storage of plastic is important in a disaster. The plastic could be used to cover up windows that had been broken and areas where trees have fallen into houses, etc. He stated that he feels that this is an important commodity. Dr. Gibbons stated that Mountain Fuel will take an unspecified amount of time to discontinue all gas service in the area and close the lines. He stated that individuals should turn their gas off at the meter and that a small wrench is available that you secure to the gas meter so that you can turn the gas off at the cost of $1.25. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that she would compile a list of Council and staff that wanted these wrenches and provide it to Dr. Gibbons. Mr. Morgan stated that a 72-Hour kit is available which has all the essential items needed in the event of an emergency. He stated that you can make your own individual kit or buy one commercially, but that you would need to decide what type of food you would have to make your own kit. Mr. Morgan indicated that the commercial kits contained meals that are ready to eat that require no water to prepare, and that these kits weigh only 35 pounds for a family of four compared to 75 pounds for a homemade kit for a family of four. He stated that some of the items needed in a 72-Hour kit are a flashlight, shoes, first aid, radio, and a fire extinguisher. He stated that a 24-hour kit should be kept in your car and that you should carry one with you at all times. Mr. Morgan stated that the young boy trapped in the mine in Tooele would have been better off with an emergency kit. Councilmember Kirk indicated that she carried an emergency kit in her car. Mr. Morgan stated that slings are available for two liter bottles to carry them around your neck for $.90 cents each or $. 60 cents each if bought in bulk, or that you could make your own. Mr. Morgan stated that 60, 000 people had attended the emergency preparedness seminar at the Salt Palace Expo Mart the previous weekend and that this had helped increase the public's awareness. Councilmember Pace asked if the City/County Health Department was available to go to schools and educate the children and if this had been done. Dr. Gibbons indicated that this could be done if the school requested it and that the Emergency Management Agency has videos on emergency preparedness that they could use in a presentation. He stated that Neighborhood Meetings are also good locations to make these presentations. Councilmember Pace asked if the Council had any further questions. Councilmember Horrocks asked where 72-hour kits can be purchased. Mr. Morgan stated that there are about 15 stores that carry the kits but that the City/County Health Department purchases their kits from John Weddsworth who owns a store on Redwood Road because his prices are reasonable and he has a large selection of items. He indicated he did not know the exact address and would provide Ms. Gust-Jenson the name and address of the company. REVIEW OF POLICY ON BOARD AND COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the Council had requested a review on the policy for Council representation on community task forces, committees, and boards in January and that this was the second draft of this policy request. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that Councilmembers can serve to represent committees but that they did not have the right to vote. She stated that a policy needs to be written to handle the representation appropriately. Ms. Gust-Jenson asked the Council to review the first proposed draft and the revised draft. She asked if they had any comments or concerns. Councilmember Godfrey stated that he was comfortable with the revision except for Item 8 and that he thought the last part of the paragraph should be deleted starting with "By consensus. " He stated that the first Draft gave the Council Chair more power than the other members and that the procedure used in the past have worked very well. Ms. Gust-Jenson asked if there were any further questions or concerns. She asked the Council for a consensus on the second draft of the policy. Ms. Gust-Jenson asked the Council if they agreed to the second draft of the policy, but that on Item #8, the first sentence would be left and the remainder would be dropped. The Council agreed to this unanimously. COG'S MUNICIPAL COUNCIL ORGANIZATION. Councilmember Kirk asked Councilmember Horrocks if he was currently the Designee for the COG Municipal Council. Councilmember Horrocks stated that he was. Councilmember Kirk recommended that Councilmember Horrocks continue to serve on this committee if he desired. Councilmember Horrocks indicated that he would like to continue his representation on this Board. Councilmember Pace indicated that she was interested in what this committee did. Councilmember Horrocks stated that he did not have any voting power but that he likes to participate in the discussions. The Council agreed that Councilmember Horrocks would continue his representation on this board. COUNCIL LIAISONS FOR CITY BOARDS & COMMISSIONS Ed Snow, Community Relations Coordinator indicated that the Council needed to establish liaisons for each City Board. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the Councilmembers needed to express interest in being a liaison for a particular board and that there was not a limit on the number of Councilmembers who could participate on the boards. Councilmember Godfrey stated that he had concerns about the Board of Adjustment and the Public Service Commission because when someone speaks up and tells them to change a decision, they have said they will consider changing it and then do not pursue the change. Councilmember Kirk stated that she enjoyed being a liaison to the Planning Commission. Councilmember Horrocks stated that he currently serves as a liaison to the Airport Authority and the Redevelopment Agency boards. Councilmember Pace asked Mr. Snow to brief the Council on what each board does. Mr. Snow stated that he would go down the list for each board or commission individually to allow the Council to read the description of the duties to decide if they would like to serve as liaisons on the board. 1) Air Travel Commission, Wayne Horrocks; 2) Airport Authority, Wayne Horrocks, Ronald Whitehead, and Don Hale; 3) Art Design Board, no one; 4) Arts Council, Tom Godfrey; 5) Board of Adjustment, no one; 6) Board of Appeals & Examiners, no one; 7) Board of Health, Cindy Gust-Jenson; 8) Central Business Improvement District, Roselyn Kirk, Nancy Pace; 9) Civil Service Commission, Tom Godfrey; 10) Community Development Advisory Committee, no one; 11) Golf Advisory Board, Roselyn Kirk; 12) Historical Landmark Committee, Nancy Pace and Roselyn Kirk to receive minutes and agendas; 13) Housing Advisory and Appeals Board, no one; 14) Housing Authority, no one; 15) Library Board, Tom Godfrey, Roselyn Kirk; 16) Metropolitan Water District, Roselyn Kirk, Nancy Pace; 17) Mosquito Abatement District Board, Ron Whitehead; 18) Planning Commission, no one; 19) Public Utilities Advisory Board, Ron Whitehead; 20) Recreation Advisory Board, Roselyn Kirk, Wayne Horrocks; 21) Salt Palace/Fine Arts Board, Nancy Pace, Wayne Horrocks; 22) Sugarhouse Park Authority, Don Hale; 23) Tracy Aviary Board, Alan Hardman; 24) Urban Forestry Board, Wayne Horrocks, to receive minutes and agendas. The Council agreed to these board and commission liaison appointments. Councilmember Godfrey stated that before individuals were reappointed to Boards & Commissions, that their attendance should be checked. Councilmember Hale asked how a Councilmember makes a nomination for a board appointment. Mr. Snow stated that the Councilmember should contact him. If that individual was acceptable for the appointment, he would send a letter to the Mayor requesting the Mayor to appoint him/her to the board or commission. Councilmember Hale asked if there were any other Boards or Commissions. Mr. Snow stated that these were all of the City Boards. Councilmember Pace stated that construction issues are very controversial and that a bill being proposed by Reed Searl from the University of Utah stated that Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County need to lobby together on these issues because if the support of officials is not known or felt, it could be detrimental to some useful bills. Councilmember Kirk stated that the Mayor and the Salt Lake City Council have received messages from the Lobbying Committees to express their views. Councilmember Whitehead requested that the Council receive a follow-up briefing with the Mayor every month to keep them informed of current issues so that City staff and elected officials could have an impact on the lobbying. He indicated that efforts between the Mayor and the City Council should be made to coordinate lobbying efforts. Councilmember Kirk stated that she and Councilmember Horrocks had attended a Fine Arts Lobbying Effort last year and that it had helped pass the legislation. PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN Councilmember Horrocks stated that he had served on the West High School Closure Committee and that the population decrease is having an adverse affect on the City. He stated that the City needs to work with the media to create good public relations to get people moving back into Salt Lake City instead of out of the state or to other cities. He stated that a commuter tax would increase the number of residents in Salt Lake City and increase revenues so that property taxes could be lower for the residents. He stated that Coopers & Lybrand had been selected to complete the Financial Audit and that the Earning Tax Service report will be provided by the Auditor's personally. The meeting was adjourned to lunch at 12 : 20 p.m. WORKING WITH THE NEWS MEDIA The meeting was called to order at 1: 10 p.m. Councilmember Hardman brought the meeting to order and asked the members of the news media to introduce themselves. Brian Mullahy stated that he worked for KSL Television as a reporter, and that he has worked in Idaho Falls, and Milwaukee as well. LaVarr Webb stated that he worked for the Deseret News. Kristie Snow stated that she graduated from the University of Utah and works for KALL Radio. Mr. Mullahy thanked the Council for inviting him to come and speak on how to communicate more effectively with the media. He stated that he has had no difficulty getting along with the Councilmembers and that he is able to call some at home. He stated that the emphasis needed to be placed on improving communication and that he has a difficult time obtaining comments on difficult subjects. Mr. Mullahy suggested that the Council staff send a tentative agenda to the media two days prior to the meeting. He stated that Sandy City currently does this and that it helps him know if there will be areas of interest that he should pursue. He stated that this would allow him to notify the Councilmember of his interest to complete a story. Mr. Mullahy stated that the Councilmembers need to be more willing to appear on camera and that usually he is able to speak with them off camera prior to the taping to prepare them for the questions. He stated that when a hot issue is received on short notice the media may pursue a Councilmember on camera without any prior notice and that instead of saying no comment, it is better for the Councilmembers public image if they ask to speak in private on the issue. Mr. Mullahy stated that it is in the Council's best interest to be open with the public. Councilmember Pace stated that the exposure in a private one-on- one conversation is easier for her to handle than a on-camera interview because she feels inhibited in front of a camera. Mr. Mullahy stated that Councilmembers Whitehead, Godfrey, Kirk and Hale have allowed him to tape them and that he had prepared them for the interview. He stated that it helps him to conduct an interview if he is briefed on the facts before the taping, and that an ambush interview was not his intent. He stated that he does not tend to sway from the issue at hand. He stated that because the Council are elected public officials, appearing on camera is part of their job and that if a Councilmember leaves a meeting where the media is requesting an interview and the Councilmember states "no comment" is more detrimental to their image than allowing the interview. Councilmember Hardman asked if the Council had any rights in an interview towards reasonable and unreasonable questions. Mr. Mullahy stated that the Councilmember may request an off-camera interview, and that if a Councilmember states that they cannot answer the question, that he will respect their wishes because it is the Councilmembers prerogative to answer a question. Mr. Mullahy stated that the Councilmember cannot set the agenda or censor the information, and that the reporter is allowed to take notes during a one-on-one interview. He stated that if the Councilmember wished to disclose information but not have this reported, the Councilmember must state that it is "Off the Record" prior to disclosing the information, or the reporter may use this in their story. Councilmember Horrocks stated that he was glad to hear Mr. Mullahy's response because of the incident he had with Mr. Mullahy when he requested an interview without prior notice on camera, and Councilmember Horrocks had stated "no comment" and this had been used against him. Mr. Mullahy stated that sometimes a situation occurs where an individual will be leaving a meeting and the camera will be rolling. He stated that Mayor DePaulis is very good at answering the press's questions, even when they corner him and that he cooperates and volunteers the information needed which improves his public image. Mr. Mullahy stated that the Council should try to treat the press in the same way as Mayor DePaulis. Councilmember Kirk asked what a reporter would do if an individual neglected to say an item was "off the record" prior to the statement and requested the reporter keep this item in confidence. Mr. Mullahy stated that this was an individual judgement call and that the reporter and individual would need to agree on whether or not the item should be kept off the record. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that she is not comfortable when a camera is rolling. Mr. Mullahy stated that when an individual refuses to comment on camera because they are not comfortable speaking on camera, this may become news and that it is better for the individual's image to ask to speak in private for a moment. Councilmember Whitehead asked how false stories can be avoided. He cited an incident where he had stated that a story had been printed claiming that he had asked Mayor Ted Wilson to resign when he had not made this statement and also that there had been a story of a flood that had not existed. Mr. Mullahy stated that it is customary that when a reporter embarks on a story and they cannot locate enough information to complete the story, that the story is "killed. Kristie Snow stated that it is to the Council's benefit to remain in the public's eye and that this would help prevent stories from being distorted because the reporters would have the information correctly. Ms. Snow stated that radio news is reported very quickly and that there is not much time to complete a story and that they do not have the tools to give all the facts. She stated that the radio news is used to peak people's interest, to cause them to pick-up the paper and read more about it or to watch the news. Ms. Snow stated that it would help her immensely if the Council could return her calls within a short amount of time because she has a short time to run a story. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that if Ms. Snow could state when she calls if it is urgent to hear back from the Councilmember, then the Council Staff would try to track the Councilmember down and have them return her call as quickly as possible. Ms. Snow stated that she would use this procedure. Ms. Snow requested that she receive a copy of the agenda in advance. She stated that when she is looking for a story to fill up the news time that she could look to the agenda and perhaps use one of these items which would provide good publicity for the Council. Ms. Snow stated that the Salt Lake County Commission is always in the news and that many of these items are little ones that are used because there has been very little news that day. Councilmember Godfrey stated that shortly after he was appointed to the Council, a small disagreement had been reported in the news as a major item, and that controversial items are usually the only ones seen in the news stories because this was the only way to get into the public eye. Councilmember Whitehead stated that when significant laws are passed they are rarely mentioned in the news. Councilmember Kirk stated that it is not news unless something has gone wrong. Mr. Mullahy stated that the public inspects the Public Officials actions to assure the government is being run effectively. Mr. Webb stated that if an issue is not important but exciting, then the public official can make it more relevant and interesting to the news media. He stated that Congressmen Wayne Owens uses this tactic. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the Governor had said that the democrats had wanted to get a UEA strike going. Mr. Webb stated that charisma is not needed to be in the public eye and be successful, but that hard work is a major attribute. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated Mayor DePaulis is hard to pinpoint and that he is good at public relations. Mr. Mullahy stated that Mayor DePaulis is seldom careless in his statements and that he makes everyone feel good about his comments, unlike the Salt Lake County Commission who neglects to do this. He stated that he feels the Council does not realize the importance of their position, and that they need to be willing to take this opportunity, and to use it to their advantage. He stated that Mayor DePaulis is required to take risks by being in the public eye, but that risk is required to reap the rewards. Councilmember Kirk stated that the Mayor is a full-time position, where they only are part-time and that this creates a problem. Mr. Mullahy stated that the Council position can be as important as they want it to be, because if he feels resistance, then other reporters are likely to feel the same way. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the Councilmembers might hesitate to answer questions if they did not know all of the facts and that they should let the reporter know. Councilmember Horrocks agreed that this was a problem at times. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that hesitating is worse for their image. Councilmember Kirk stated that Salt Lake Community College sends news releases to reporters and asked if these are used on slow days. Mr. Webb stated that news releases are held for a few days and then discarded, but that they are used occasionally. Councilmember Kirk asked if a monthly press conference was a good idea. Mr. Mullahy stated that it was and Ms. Gust-Jenson agreed. Mr. Mullahy stated that if the Council were to have a monthly press conference that they should not expect stories continually, because it would depend on the items the Council were discussing. Councilmember Kirk stated that it is a risk for a Councilmember to speak on any issue. Councilmember Hardman stated that television is a higher risk situation than a one-on-one conversation. Councilmember Godfrey stated that some issues are hard for the Chairman to address. Councilmember Hardman asked if Mr. Webb had any further comments. Mr. Webb stated that Legislative bodies typically have poorer images, and that individuals have greater images. He stated that he felt the Council would prefer a better image, but that sometimes there may be a conflict. Mr. Webb told the Council not to worry about being in the mass media because the mass media can hurt an image more than they can help. He stated that the press holds public officials to higher standards than ordinary people and that at times, the press tends to sensationalize an issue because the news has been created by a public official. Mr. Webb stated that the press thinks that public officials are invincible. Councilmember Horrocks stated that he has not had a derogatory comment since the election. Mr. Webb stated that prior to the election, the "Gang of Four" was in the news frequently. Councilmember Kirk stated that this was a hot name and issue. Mr. Webb stated that some people had complained about this issue. Councilmember Hale stated that a dialogue is important to himself and Councilmember Pace because they are shy individuals and that they need to realize that if they provide information they are decreasing the risk of negative press, and to state that they do not know the answer when that is the case. He stated that he feels more comfortable with his position now than he did before. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the Council are not the only ones who feel uncomfortable because a reporter can feel uncomfortable asking difficult questions. Councilmember Pace stated that she feels vulnerable because of the risk involved in talking. Mr. Webb stated that Councilmember Pace should get to know the reporters and that this should help her feel more comfortable, because a reporter is less likely to print a negative story without notifying the individual first when they have a one-on- one relationship with the individual. Mr. Webb stated that reporters are required to be fair and that if the Council has a problem with a reporter they could talk to their supervisor about it. Mr. Whitehead asked how much editing was involved in a story. Mr. Webb stated that some editing was involved and that reporters are being encouraged to write smarter, and that sometimes the editor does the cutting. He stated that the Editor does the headlines for the stories and that this can cause problems with the reporter. Councilmember Hardman stated that making a complaint on the story to the reporter's supervisor would probably make the situation worse, and asked Mr. Webb if he had any suggestions for a positive complaint. Mr. Webb stated that the Council should notify the reporter first and see if they can resolve the problem with the reporter prior to going to their supervisor to maintain good relations. He stated that if a story was reported incorrectly that the Editor would investigate and print a retraction if necessary. Mr. Mullahy stated that there is nothing worse to a reporter than getting incorrect facts, and that he resents it when people who have a complaint go over his head prior to notifying him. Mr. Mullahy stated that their stories are reviewed by two individuals for stylistic integrity, grammar, verification and are usually revised before being printed. Councilmember Hardman asked if the Council needed to have facts to support a story prior to the story being run. Mr. Mullahy stated that an individual must have convincing evidence that will be scrutinized because the philosophy behind a story is not as important as the facts. Mr. Webb stated that in instances where individuals feel a story has been unfair, the editor could agree to a follow-up story to provide a balancing of the facts. Councilmember Kirk stated that the Law Enforcement Community reacts personally when politicians use the media as a PR devise. Mr. Mullahy stated that a politician should not use the media as a PR devise, but that sometimes it is a judgement call if it involves public or safety issues. He stated that such an instance was the Fire Bomb story that was reported to the Salt Lake County Commission because it effected public safety. Mr. Webb stated that knowledge is power and that a politician with good background information can manipulate the media to further their careers. Mr. Mullahy stated that this power can be taken advantage of because they had had instances where individuals would bring in press releases on Sundays and holidays to manipulate the media coverage and that this had been destructive for them because they had not presented information that was relevant or of value. Councilmember Horrocks stated that prior to lunch he had mentioned the declining Salt Lake City population, and that he was on the South High School Closure Committee. He stated that he is concerned about the decline in population and has suggested to the Council that a promotion about living in Salt Lake City be started. He asked if they had any suggestions for the promotion. Mr. Webb stated that they should start by sending copies of the agenda, press releases, and by finding solutions to problems and promoting these solutions. Mr. Mullahy stated that the housing that middle income families can afford in Salt Lake City are located in poor neighborhoods because the housing located in better areas are too expensive for them to afford. He stated that this is an important issue to resolve before the population in Salt Lake City can increase. Mr. Hardman asked if Ms. Snow had any statements to make. Ms. Snow stated that Mr. Mullahy and Mr. Webb had covered the issues and that it would be redundant for her to make any statements. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the cost of living is Salt Lake City is twice the cost of living in Salt Lake County. Councilmember Horrocks stated that the Senior Citizens and lower income families living in Salt Lake have services provided to them that are paid for by the residents, which increases the cost of living. Mr. Whitehead stated that Mr. Trussel of West High School had done a good job on improving the image of the school and Salt Lake City needs to change its image to avoid becoming a poor or rich only area. He stated that a light rail system may be detrimental to the City because it would require the demolition of homes for its implementation. He stated that the City needs to make housing affordable for middle income families. Councilmember Hardman thanked the members of the media for taking time out of their schedules to meet with the Council. The media representatives thanked the Council for this opportunity. The media was excused from the table. Councilmember Horrocks stated that he wanted the public relations issue placed on the Agenda for a Committee of the Whole meeting. Councilmember Whitehead stated that high taxes, and the drug problems need to be addressed and dealt with. Councilmember Horrocks stated that Glendale and Rose Park areas images need to be changed. Councilmember Whitehead stated that a slogan for Salt Lake City might be beneficial. Mr. Snow stated that Provo City has a slogan campaign. Councilmember Hardman stated that a PR campaign should be addressed in the budget process. Councilmember Pace stated that the City should develop positive incentives for living in the City prior to addressing the public relations campaign. COUNTY COMMISSION QUARTERLY MEETINGS Councilmember Hardman asked if the Council has ever had meetings with the Salt Lake County Commission, and how the Council could establish these meetings. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that quarterly meetings were held a few years ago, and that they were set up via telephone, and followed up with a reminder call. Councilmember Hardman asked if the Council were on the same level as the County Commission. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that they were not. Councilmember Kirk stated that the Council should ask for quarterly meetings and follow through on the issues presented, to make the County address the issues. She stated that the homeless issue had been avoided by Salt Lake County because the Council had not actively pursued them. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the Council needed to decide whether they wanted to meet with the County Commissioners to discuss philosophical information or specific issues. She stated that the County is concerned that the City is not supporting Community Development Block Grant issues and that the Council should work with the Administration to resolve this issue. Councilmember Hardman stated that the Mayor should attend the meetings so that the administrative and legislative sides are both addressed. Councilmember Kirk stated that she currently holds meetings with the Mayor on an individual basis so that he can brief her on the issues at hand. Councilmember Godfrey stated it would not matter who addressed the County on issues as long as issues were addressed so that they could be handled. Councilmember Kirk stated that the quarterly meetings were initially established because Salt Lake County and Salt Lake City were at odds with each other. She stated that they had set up committees to address issues at hand. Councilmember Kirk stated that the City had agreed to assist with funding for the Salt Lake Convention Center to appease Salt Lake County. Councilmember Hardman asked to conduct a consensus on whether to hold the meetings with the County. Councilmembers Hardman, Whitehead, Horrocks, Pace, Kirk, Godfrey, and Hale agreed that meetings should be established. Councilmember Godfrey stated that the meetings should be scheduled as needed instead of on a quarterly basis. The Council agreed to meet with Salt Lake County on "hot topic" issue items as needed. Councilmember Pace stated that the Salt Palace Restoration is a concern and that it would benefit the entire State if the County and Salt Lake City could work together before the next Legislative session to get the State involved. Councilmember Horrocks stated that the Salt Palace Committee is very powerful. Councilmember Godfrey stated that the legislature is represented by mostly Republican influence. Councilmember Kirk stated that the Fine Arts Division has key representatives that would be able to assist in getting the State involved. She stated that the Council should establish its own committee, if needed, to provide adequate involvement. Councilmember Whitehead indicated that Salt Lake County has stated that if the City does not help with funding the Salt Palace that they would pull out. He stated that the Salt Palace is a County-owned entity and that the County should be responsible for all the expenditures with the Salt Palace, the Jail, homelessness, etc. Councilmember Horrocks indicated that the City has expressed interest in annexing the East Millcreek Area but that the City cannot actively pursue this. He stated that he would like to have the homeowners in this area express interest in the annexation so that the City can proceed. He stated that the Governor has legislation to change the school district boundaries in this area, but until it is signed into law, the public cannot be notified. Councilmember Godfrey stated that the rental car tax legislation had been approved and that these fees could be applied to the operations of the Salt Palace. Councilmember Kirk stated that Salt Lake County did not want to take out any more revenue bonds to proceed with the Salt Palace Reorganization until the current bonds had been paid in full. Councilmember Hale asked if the Mayor and the Council would meet with the County Commissioners together. Councilmember Hardman stated that to avoid controversy and mixed signals this should be avoided. Councilmember Godfrey stated that this was a good point and that Mayor DePaulis had briefed the Council on a meeting with the Commission concerning the Jail. Councilmember Godfrey stated that the Mayor could brief the Council on the topic prior to the discussion with the Commissioners to avoid conflicts. Ms. Gust- Jenson stated that this option should be addressed at the next Mayor's Roundtable Meeting and that she would talk with Salt Lake County about reestablishing quarterly meetings. COUNCIL BUDGET DISCUSSION Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that at the last retreat the Council had agreed to seek a revised budget draft and that she had provided several options from which the Council could select. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the newsletter fund had been decreased by $100. 00 which would not effect any current subscriptions. She stated that the current draft included contract support fees to conduct the Audits that the Council had requested. She stated that the audit increases included alternatives that would leave the expenditure amount the same or increase the budget by 1% . Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that Contract Support had been increased by 3 . 9%. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that increases in expenditures were higher than the decreases in the budget and that this had left a difference of $8 , 128 . 00. She stated that the Council would need to decide on whether to absorb the cost increase or expand the budget. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the first budget draft left the audit funding expenditure amount the same. She stated that the second budget draft added $6, 000 to cover the new State auditing requirement increase, but that if this draft wasn't selected the money could be absorbed from another fund. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the Council budget does not come under close review as a courtesy from the Mayor and that this courtesy is extended by the Council to the Mayor's office as well. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the third draft showed an increase of $31, 000 in the audit item line to accommodate the audit of public works. She stated that draft four shows a decreases of $8 , 128 in the audit line to keep the budget flat and have no increases. She stated that draft five decreases the auditing amount by $21, 000 to allow for adjustments in other funds within the budget and that the balance of $65, 000 could be used to fund one (1) management audit or part of a larger audit. Councilmember Hardman asked if the Council could stick with last year's budget by not conducting the Public Works Audit, or by paying for this audit over a two year period. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that this could be an alternative or that the Council could choose to pay a larger portion of the balance this year and a smaller portion the following year. Councilmember Godfrey asked if the staff felt good about spreading the payments over two years. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the staff felt good about this choice. Councilmember Pace asked if the audit would need to be started later in the year to spread the payments over a two year period. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that this would be required if the Council were to pay for the bulk of the audit this year and the remainder the following year. Councilmember Godfrey asked why the Council was required to increase the audit fund by $6, 000. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that this was due to a new State Auditing Requirement and that it was something we could not avoid. She stated that the budget could be increased relatively easily, or if the Council preferred, the costs could be absorbed. Councilmember Pace asked if this increase was the new treasurer job fee. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that she was not sure. Councilmember Godfrey suggested that the Council absorb the cost this year and decide next year if the budget needs to be increased. Councilmember Hardman stated that if the audit line item funding was set at $155, 000, the Council could take the $65, 000 needed to pay for the Financial Audit which would leave a remainder of $83 , 000, which would cover the costs to conduct the Public Works Audit. He stated that realistically the Council would only be paying $120, 000 from this line item and that the remaining balance could be applied towards conducting other audits and increasing line items in other accounts. Councilmember Godfrey asked if the Executive Director was aware of a seniority rule that would apply towards the International Olympic Bid Conference in England. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that she was not aware of such a rule. Councilmember Godfrey stated that the Council does not need to attend the conference because the Council's work had been completed, and the Olympic Bid Committee was taking over. He stated that he would like to attend the conference, but that he would like to pay for his own way. Councilmember Kirk stated that the Council should pay their own costs if they wanted to attend because the Olympic Bid Committee has been required to pay their own costs. She stated that she was aware of the costs involved and that some of the Councilmembers would not be able to absorb these costs. Councilmember Hale stated that he would not feel comfortable having the City pay for these costs if their participation was not needed. Councilmember Whitehead asked if the Council had talked to Craig Sorenson about covering the costs for the Councilmembers to attend. Councilmember Hardman stated that money is tight and that this would not be an item they would consider covering. Councilmember Hardman stated that there is pressure to attend and that if Utah does win the bid to be the Olympic Host City that it would create bad publicity if there were not any representatives from the Salt Lake City Council present. Councilmember Godfrey stated that he and Councilmember Kirk will save the money to cover their costs to attend the conference and that this would provide representation. Councilmember Hardman asked if the Council had the option to give up another trip to attend the International Olympic Bid Conference in England. Councilmember Godfrey stated that it would be better for the City if the Council were to attend the League Meetings instead. Councilmember Pace asked what would be taking place at the conference. Councilmember Hardman stated that each Bid Committee would be making a final presentation and that a decision will be made on who will host the Olympics. Councilmember Kirk stated that the budget should not be increased to cover the costs of the trip and that the Chair of the Council should attend. Ms. Gust-Jenson asked if the seniority rule that Councilmember Godfrey was aware of took the Chair and the Vice Chair first and then the years of seniority. Councilmember Godfrey stated that it was based on seniority only. Councilmember Hale stated that he was overwhelmed at the number of conference the Council had been invited to and that the Council should not spend excess money if it was not necessary. Councilmember Horrocks stated that he had attended the First Olympic Bid Committee Conference in Des Moines, Iowa and that it had been an important occasion. He stated that his attendance had had an impact when they had announced him as a Salt Lake City Councilmember. He stated that he was asked numerous times where the other Councilmembers were. Councilmember Kirk stated that the signals sent by the Council's attendance would be good for the decision makers and that if Mayor DePaulis is attending the Council should also attend because if Salt Lake City receives the Bid it will look bad if only the Mayor is in attendance. Councilmember Hardman made the suggestion that each Councilmember forgo one conference and pay $1, 000 towards the total expenses, with the City paying the difference. Councilmember Pace stated that Councilmember Godfrey is on the National Leagues of Cities and Towns Board and that he is required to attend their conferences. She stated that if he was the only Councilmember to show up at the Leagues Conference that it could create problems. Councilmember Godfrey stated that the NLC Conferences are important and that the councilmembers should show their support. Councilmember Horrocks indicated that he would go to the NLC Conference with Councilmember Godfrey. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the travel expenses line item is budgeted at $27, 000 which does not include two unanticipated trips; the International Olympic Bid Conference and other miscellaneous conferences. She stated that the Council will need to transfer money from other line items to cover the increase in the travel expense account, or increase the budget. Councilmember Hardman indicated that he did not want to cause a substantial budget increase and that the Council should transfer all excess money into this account, and then increase the budget for the difference needed to cover the trip. Councilmember Godfrey stated that the budget would reflect all items accurately. Councilmember Kirk stated that she realized she could not pay for her own travel to England, because it would look bad for the other Councilmembers. Councilmember Whitehead suggested that Councilmember Kirk make a donation to the City to cover the costs of her travel. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that this would be create bad publicity if the press were to obtain the information on her donation and that this would not be recommended, because the travel records are regularly investigated by the press. Councilmember Hale stated that the Council could issue a press release stating that they were forgoing other trips to attend the Olympic Conference. Councilmember Hardman indicated that a straw poll should be taken to decide how important it is for the Council to attend the Olympic Bid Conference. Councilmembers Hardman, Whitehead, Horrocks, Pace, Godfrey, Kirk and Hale all agreed that it was important for the Council to attend. Councilmember Hardman then stated that a straw poll should be taken to decide how the costs for the trip should be covered. Councilmember Godfrey stated that the staff is comfortable with raising the budget to cover the costs involved and that the Councilmembers should not pay for 1/2 of the costs. It was agreed that a straw poll would be taken when a revised budget draft had been completed. Councilmember Hardman indicated that the Council has $27, 000 in the travel line item account and asked how many of these trips could be diverted to help cover the cost of the trip to England. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that each member is allotted $3, 000 per year for travel and conventions. Councilmember Hardman stated that the Council could forgo the trip to Houston and Washington D.C. and divert $1, 000 per member from the audit fund to cover the expenses for the trip to England. He asked that the staff prepare a budget which would include one National League Conference and the total funding that would be required to be transferred to cover the costs for the trip to England. Councilmember Godfrey stated that because he was on the Board of the National League of Cities he was required to attend two conferences and asked the Executive Director if money had been allocated to cover these expenses. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that she was aware of this requirement and funding had been provided. Councilmember Horrocks stated that he also represented a board and is required to attend two conferences. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the Council currently faced a 3 .9% budget increase and that this increase did not absorb the costs for the trip to England. Councilmember Pace asked what costs were absorbed in last year's budget. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that she did not have this information available and would prepare a memo with this information for the Council. Ms. Gust-Jenson asked Councilmember Hardman if he wanted the budget draft to show the $8, 000 increase being absorbed. Councilmember Hardman stated that the budget draft should show the increase in the travel line item and the audit line decrease and that this amount should not be absorbed. BOARD APPOINTMENT TERM LIMITATIONS Councilmember Hardman indicated that a two-term board limit had been requested by Councilmember Godfrey at a Roundtable Discussion with Mayor DePaulis and that Mayor DePaulis had indicated he would not sign the ordinance. Councilmember Hardman indicated that Mr. Snow would be briefing the Council on the validity of the ordinance. Mr. Snow stated that he had concerns that the ordinance would not withstand legislative challenge the way it is currently written. He stated that the opinion expressed by the City Attorney and independent attorneys is that the ordinance challenges the Mayor's Executive Power and this would be a violation because the Mayor has the right as the Executive Power to appoint who he wants to the Board. Mr. Snow stated that he is suggesting the Council pass a resolution revoking the ordinance, or make an amendment to the current ordinance. He stated that Mayor DePaulis and Roger Cutler, City Attorney have agreed to the revisions of the ordinance. Councilmember Horrocks stated that he was concerned if the limitation was not enforced that certain individuals would receive preferential treatment. Councilmember Godfrey stated that after reviewing the background information provided in the packet, he interpreted that Mayor DePaulis felt like the Council was trying to enter "his universe" and that in actuality, he was limiting "his universe" by not allowing a change of individuals who serve on the boards. Councilmember Godfrey stated that the intent was to allow other individuals to serve on the boards. Councilmember Godfrey asked Mr. Snow if the Mayor were to take the issue to court if the Council did not change the ordinance, if the Council would have a chance to win. Mr. Snow stated that he felt the Council would be at a slight disadvantage if the Mayor took them to court because of the way the laws are written. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the Mayor has not been abiding by the ordinance and that if the ordinance wording remained intact, the situation would not change because it is his right to decide who he wants to serve on boards. Councilmember Godfrey stated that the court would provide clarification if the Mayor were to take the Council to court and that he would like clarification on this issue. Councilmember Horrocks agreed. Councilmembers Kirk, Whitehead, and Pace disagreed and felt that it was better to change the ordinance wording. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the Council could choose not to authorize the reappointments of individuals, but that the Mayor could opt to not select anyone to take their place. She asked the Council to determine if they wanted to keep the current ordinance. Councilmember Whitehead stated that he felt there should be a clause in the ordinance if the Council opted to keep the wording intact that would allow for exceptions. He stated that it takes six to eight years to become familiar with the Mosquito Abatement Board and that it is difficult to fill vacant positions. He stated that if the ordinance was approved as written, Lynn Thatcher would resign from the Mosquito Abatement Board. Councilmember Pace asked if the Council could individually request the Mayor to appoint a new individual, and if any of the boards had limitations of terms established. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that this was not possible and that the Planning Commission is the only board that limits an individual's terms to two years. Councilmember Whitehead stated that he believes the Mayor has valid reasons on why he continues to nominate current board members for reappointments. Councilmember Kirk stated that the Council could oppose reappointments when they felt it was necessary and send the applications back to the Mayor as an attempt to have a new member appointed. Councilmember Horrocks asked if the Mayor had stated that he would appoint who he wanted to the Boards. Councilmember Hardman said that he had. Councilmember Whitehead indicated that the longer an individual serves on a Board the more attached they become to that position. Councilmember Godfrey stated that he was concerned about changing the ordinance because it might open up new loopholes. Councilmember Pace asked Councilmember Godfrey what loopholes he was concerned about. He indicated that it would prevent new individuals from being able to serve because current members would keep being reappointed. Councilmember Whitehead stated that he felt the ordinance needed to have a small loophole and that the burden would lie with the Mayor because the Council could choose to turn down a reappointment and the Mayor would then have to challenge the Council's decision. Councilmember Kirk requested that a letter be sent with an application for reappointment from the Mayor indicating why this individual should be reappointed that the Council could review. The Council could then make a decision on this information and if they disagreed with the reappointment they could send a letter to the Mayor indicating their reasoning. Mr. Snow asked if the Council would be required to have a super- majority vote if they decided not to reappoint someone. Councilmember Horrocks asked Ms. Gust-Jenson if the Mayor had the right to appoint someone to a board without the Council's approval. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that she was not sure and would find this out. Councilmember Godfrey stated that the Mayor could choose not to send any more nominees for an appointment if the Council did not approve his candidate. In effect, he could keep the same individual on the Board if he wanted to because otherwise the position would be vacant. Councilmember Hardman indicated that the Council should take a straw poll to decide on whether to revise the current ordinance or let it stand. Councilmembers Kirk, Whitehead, Hale, and Pace indicated that they would like to approve the revised ordinance. Councilmember Pace stated that the Mayor needs to be careful not to aggregate his power. Councilmember Hardman asked if the ordinance was left the same, would it be placed on the agenda for a vote. Ms. Gust-Jenson stated that the Council could choose to adopt a resolution or an ordinance and asked if the Council would prefer an ordinance or a resolution. Councilmember Hardman indicated that he would prefer a ordinance because it is a written law. The meeting was adjourned at 4 :45 p.m.