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City Administrator Ulrich reviewed the staff report and current Council Committee structure that <br />allows staff to bring forward items for discussion/recommendation followed by formal Council <br />action under the Consent Agenda. It also allows items to be brought forward to the Council that <br />same evening, if time is of the essence. He noted the most active committee is the Public Works <br />Committee, then the Personnel Committee followed by the Finance Committee. He stated the <br />Public Works Committee has more active audience participation to resolve neighborhood issues <br />related to streets and utilities and that saves time for the Council as a whole. He explained that <br />during strategic planning sessions, the Council discussed streamlining processes and holding <br />fewer meetings. City Administrator Ulrich explained that if time is of the essence, such as with <br />Personnel Committee items recently, the case may be considered by the Committee and Council <br />on the same evening. <br />Mayor Strommen asked the Council to identify where Committees add value. <br />Councilmember Tossey stated the Public Works Committee is very valuable but he does not see <br />a lot of value in the Finance Committee because they do not meet that often and have not <br />discussed labor contracts, as that has instead been considered by the Personnel Committee. He <br />stated the Public Works Committee and Personnel Committee are very valuable as well as <br />special purpose Committees (Happy Days). <br />Councilmember Backous stated with personnel, the issues come to the Committee when staff <br />wants input. He stated he thinks the Committee structure is fine as long as they are not meeting <br />just to meet, noting the Public Works Committee has canceled when there is nothing to discuss. <br />He suggested holding Committee meetings as needed and asked about eliminating one of the <br />Council Work Sessions each month. <br />Councilmember Kuzma stated he finds the Committees he serves on as being helpful in learning <br />his job and he does not mind attending. <br />Councilmember Riley stated the Public Works Committee is a good use and while he is not on <br />the Personnel Committee, he wants to hear what is being considered and discussed since it will <br />be on an upcoming Consent Agenda. He stated he does not find the Personnel Committee to be <br />as effective because he wants to attend those meetings anyway. <br />Councilmember LeTourneau stated he shares a similar story and likes to attend the Personnel <br />Committee meetings so he knows what he is going on but trusts the membership to make the <br />right decisions and have positive outcomes whether or not he is present. He stated if he did not <br />like the Personnel Committee recommendation, he would pull it from the Consent Agenda. <br />Councilmember Riley stated the Finance Committee does not meet often because anything that <br />involves spending money comes to the full Council. <br />Mayor Strommen asked if there is a nature of Personnel Committee cases the Council needs to <br />hear and weigh in on. She noted that is why the Finance Committee has less of a role, the <br />Council wanted to be part of that conversation and decision making process. Mayor Strommen <br />City Council Work Session / June 4, 2013 <br />Page 19 of 22 <br />