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<br />February 28, 2001 <br />Council Meeting Minutes <br /> <br />Mr. Hoeft indicated that there is a process for handling complaints that should be <br />followed. Council Member Nelson stated that Council did not follow the process. Mr. <br />Hoeft agreed Council did not follow procedure and suggested that since there is a policy <br />in effect, it should be followed. He then recommended avoiding addressing last minute <br />complaints at council meetings, stating if the information is not in Council packets, it <br />should be held until the next council meeting. <br /> <br />Mayor Swedberg stated that was a complaint and that he had questioned Mr. H~ft and <br />Police Chief Heckman for their opinion on how to proceed. Mayor Swedberg thenJstated <br />that some complaints are unwarranted and he feels residents and business owners are <br />entitled to privacy. <br /> <br />Council Member Broussard Vickers questioned whether Council was under an obligation <br />to name names or if Council could give generalized information and investigate the <br />complaint further. <br /> <br />Mr. Hoeft explained that a resident should not have an expectation of privacy if they are <br />writing to the City, they should realize what they write is public information and same <br />goes for information written to a Council Member. <br /> <br />Council Member Broussard Vickers stated that there should be a process that if a Council <br />Member takes a complaint, the Council Member should inform the resident they are not <br />acting or speaking on behalf of the entire Council. Council Member Broussard Vickers <br />concurred with Mr. Hoeft in regards to information being contained in Council packets. <br /> <br />Consensus was that if information was not contained in Council packets, the item would <br />be reserved for the next Council agenda. <br /> <br />Council Member Capra questioned the desire of Council on the process for addressing <br />complaints heard at a meeting. Mr. Hoeft suggested thanking the resident for their <br />comments and acknowledging the complaint. Mr. Hoeft advised Council to state that the <br />City would investigate the matter and place the item on the Council's next agenda for <br />discussion. <br /> <br />Council Member Capra clarified that there were two (2) issues, one (1) for the original <br />complaint and one (1) for the handling of the complaint. <br /> <br />Council Member Broussard Vickers stated that the complaint should have been placed in <br />the standard process, noting if it were a matter of public safety or an emergency, it would <br />be handled appropriately. In this case, there was no emergency, so the complaint should <br />have waited until the next Council meeting. <br /> <br />Mayor Swedberg stated that he is concerned for business and resident privacy. Mr. Hoeft <br />explained that the City needed not to be concerned for privacy as there are other laws to <br />protect individuals if someone should bring a frivolous complaint. <br /> <br />Mayor Swedberg clarified the written complaint process if received in Council packets <br />and stated that it would be discussed at the meeting, however, if no information is <br /> <br />Page 7 of 14 <br />