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From: Beets
<br />,, Neal
<br />Sent: Frid�a.y, Noviembeir 14, 2003 6:33 PM
<br />To,: Tammy L, Pust'i
<br />C a. I
<br />co Curb, Carolyn
<br />Subject�: RE: Council placket
<br />Tammy, thank you for takin the time to share your input with me
<br />F'first, with this e-retail I am forwarding your message to Ms, Curti for her response to your specific questions and
<br />concerns about her, memo. I know the Mayor took exception to some of the passages in Carolyn's memo, including
<br />some of the same passages, and she and the Mayor have been communicating about that.
<br />Second, 1 as, to your co,n�cerns about the public record, as you know from our agenda for Monday, we are having the first
<br />of perhaps several public hearings on this subject of a special election. I hope all interested citizens will share their
<br />thoughts, and feelings at Monday's public hearing and at whatever additional public hearings the Council may choose
<br />to hold on tis issue,, Hence, citizens may express themsellves on cable television and for the written public record in
<br />the form of our m�inuite�s that will reflect their comments- our recording secretary does a good job of reflecting citizen
<br />comment in the minutes and our minutes are always detailed and always placed on our website for public view and
<br />consideration -,- just, as our, agenda packet is on our webs,ite. In addition, any written communication (including e-
<br />mails) we receive from citizens on the subject of special elections or any other agenda item) will similarly be made
<br />part of the public record. At the council meeting, we distribute copi I es of those e- snails about agenda items to
<br />councilmembers. and make those, copies available to persons attending the council meeting and to the recording
<br />secretary. Where we receive substantial citizen comment on an agenda item in advance of council meetings, we
<br />include, copies of those citizen comments in the council packet -- either by including copies of the e-mails and letters,
<br />orb sum,marizing the subtanice of the phone calls we receive in a memo and including that in the council packet,
<br />Them we supplement the public record at the council meeting by including those citizen communications received after
<br />the packet has been sent out. II hope this clarifies that there is no disparity between staff memos on agenda items and
<br />citizen comment on agenda items, in terms of the availability of that commentary within the public domain and in terms
<br />of that commentary being part of the public record on this or any other) agenda issue.
<br />And, as I said, Carolyn will be happy, to share with you the bas,is, for her memo and to talk with you about that memo at
<br />whatever length you wish. Plainly, Carolyn is a staff member who is sharing her views as the election coordinator on
<br />election issues that', councilmembers and citizens, are discussing. Her views as elections coordinator are not the
<br />official city position, any more than our planner's views on a zoning case are the official city position on that zoning
<br />case or any more than our city engineer's views on the value of a particular street or trail project constitute the official
<br />city position on those imatteirs. Instead, they are views andl opinions of Individual staff members who have some
<br />specialized training and some. professional experience with certain subjects who are sharing their opinions with the
<br />council and community for whatever value the council and community may find in them or for whatever weight, if any,
<br />the council and community, may wish to give them, as the council and community formulate the official city position on
<br />these important public issues.
<br />Thanks,, Tammy.
<br />Neal
<br />----- Original Message --- --
<br />Fir r Tammy Ll Plust Cmailtc
<br />Sent: Friday, November 14, 2003 4:25 p
<br />To: n�eal.beetsi@ci,,rosevi�l�le.mn.us
<br />Subject: Council packet
<br />Mr. Beets-1 I have reviewed the packet of information posted on the City website in preparation for Monday's
<br />council meeting. ng, Plea.se note that the packet includes an internal memorandum from city staff (C. Curti) to you
<br />dated November 13, 20013. It is clearly appropriate for staff to, in�cllude factual and relevant information in official
<br />publications they produce on behalf of the city, and to iiincllude those publications in the official record of council
<br />meetings, I don't (believe it is appropriate, however, for staff to include personal opinion and unverifiable
<br />statements as part of' the city's official business proceledli�nigs.
<br />I ask that yolu�, as City Manager, review the Curti memorandum and determine whether the following statements
<br />should appropriatiely be included in the official city records',
<br />KE
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