HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 1992-03-04 Mayor John R. Penna
Council:
Jack Drago
Joseph A. Fernekes
Gus Nicolopulos
.~Roberta Cerri Teglia
AGENDA
ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING
CALL TO ORDER: (Cassette No. 1)
ROLL CALL:
Closed Session for the purpose of
discussion of personnel matters,
labor relations, property nego-
tiations and litigation.
RECALL TO ORDER:
Certification of the sufficiency 5'~
of the Referendum Against Ordinance
No. 1110-92, adopted 1/22/92.
MINUTES
City Council
Municipal Services Building
Community Room
March 4, 1992
VOZ.H
332
ACTION TAKEN
ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING
6:38 p.m. Mayor Penna presiding.
Council present:
Council absent:
Drago, Fernekes,
Teglia, and Penna.
Nicolopulos.
City Clerk Battaya informed the Council
that Councilman Nicolopulos was ill and
would not be in attendance.
Council adjourned to a Closed Session at
6:38 p.m., to discuss: 1) a citizen
complaint pursuant to GC 54957; 2) per-
sonnel matter involving an employee's
performance pursuant to GC 54757; 3)
litigation pursuant to GC 54956(b)(a); 4)
a real property transaction concerning
the Mazzanti Property pursuant to GC
54956.8.
Mayor Penna recalled the meeting to order
at 7:20 p.m., all Council present, no
action was taken.
City Clerk Battaya stated that on 3/3/92
she compiled and validated the following
certification of signatures which had
been filed 2/21/92 with a sequential
number of 2,571 signatures: 66 invalid
circulatOrs counted as petition signers;
24 duplicate signatures; 25 invalid
signatures due to circulator's incomplete
affidavits; 3 signatures altered with
liquid paper; 54 signatures not suf-
ficient; i signature and address was
illegible; 3 invalid used P.O. Box; and
186 were not registered voters. She
stated that there were 2,209 valid
referendum signatures that are greater
than the 2,121 required based on the
21,210 registered voters submitted to the
Secretary of State on 1/15/92 by the
County Clerk for South San Francisco.
3/4/92
Page I
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN
333
Certification - Continued.
She requested that the Council, by
Motion, accept the Certificate of
Sufficiency.
M/S Teglia/Fernekes - To accept the cer-
tification of the sufficiency of the
Referendum Against Ordinance No. 1110-92,
adopted 1/22/92.
Councilman Drago questioned what the pro-
cess was for someone wishing to challenge
the validity of signatures and
circulators.
City Clerk Battaya stated that was best
answered by the City Attorney because
once the petitions have been filed in
her office it was sealed, and her
understanding was that only a judge of a
court could investigate the matter.
City Attorney O'Toole stated that the
appropriate action would be some type of
litigation to challenge the certification
of the Clerk, and once the litigation was
filed the Court would order the petition
be opened and he could check the valida-
tion of the signatures.
Councilman Drago read aloud the declara-
tion of the circulator on the petition
that the person had personally witnessed
the person signing the petition. He
stated that a son of one of our
registered voters signed his name on a
petition at a local business, and has
the same first and last name as the .~
father and temporarily lives at the home
of his father. He stated that the son is
not a registered voter in S.S.F. - his
father did not sign the petition, but
was told by the petition people that that
was alright. He questioned how he could
know that his signature on the petition
was considered valid - that this owner was
actually the person who saw the person
who signed this declaring it to be a
genuine signature of the person signing
it and had then filled out the declara-
tion. He questioned if he had to get a
court order to look at the petition to
see who signed it.
3/4/92
Page 2
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN
- 334
Certification - Continued.
City Attorney O'Toole stated that he was
not sure that he would know even with a
court order who that signature was, or
even if he could look at the signature or
who it belonged to other than the affida-
vit of the circulator who testified under
penalty of perjury that that was the
signature he witnessed. He stated that
there was a procedure in the Elections
Code for those individuals to request
their signature be withdrawn, and if the
Clerk received that type of request she
would have withdrawn the signature from
the petition.
Councilman Drago stated that he realized
that it did not affect the count of
valid signatures, however, he wanted to
know if that name was considered one of
the valid signatures when the party is
not a registered voter but signed his
name the same as his father at the same
address who is a registered voter and did
not sign it; and both were willing to
testify. He stated that he wanted to see
the name of the circulator.
City Attorney O'Toole stated that if
Councilman Drago would share the name
with him he would check to see, short of
litigation, and would get back to him.
He stated that the referendum was sealed
after the verification, but he would get
back to Councilman Drago in a day or two
and advise him of the process.
Councilman Drago questioned if there was
a time period for challenges or if in
accepting the certification, it ended
the matter.
City Attorney O'Toole stated that the
Council was not voting on the validity of
individual signature, but the cer-
tification of the City Clerk, and there
may very well be additional time frames
that he was not prepared to respond to
but would get back to him.
Councilman Drago stated that he wasn't
sure until this morning that there were
3/4/92
Page 3
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN
- 335
Certification - Continued.
Reconsideration of Ordinance No.~'3
1110-92 "An Ordinance of the /~
City Council of South San Francisco
Amending Various Sections of Title
2 and Title 3 of the South San
Francisco Municipal Code Relating
to the Power to Appoint City
Department Heads."
enough valid signatures, and he did not
want to belabor the point if it only
meant the one name was coming off, but if
this particular circulator signed peti-
tions he did not witness -- would it
nullify all the petitions signed by that
one circulator.
City Attorney O'Toole responded, not
necessarily.
Carried by unanimous roll call vote.
Mrs. Diane Smith, 3900 Crofton Way,
related that in an article in the San
Mateo Times on 1/24/92 reported Mrs.
Teglia's announcement of the referendum
which she said would cost under $500.00,
and would be paid for by her supporters
and out of her own pocket. She con-
tinued, and had stated that Mrs. Teglia
hoped the referendum was successful and
would force the Council to rescind the
ordinance limiting the powers of the City
Manager thus avoiding putting it to a
vote. She stated that if Mrs. Teglia
wanted this to be settled by a vote of
the people of S.S.F., why did she suggest
this oddly contradictory alternative, so
when it comes to a vote which she
insisted upon at whatever cost it turns
out to be she can turn it around and hang
the expense on the Councilmembers who
would not cave into her. She staed that
next there was a vote to Council that went
4-1 against Councilwoman Teglia, then we
have Mrs. Teglia's referendum to overturn
that vote after her referendum at a pur-
ported cost of under $500.00. She stated
that Mrs. Teglia hopes to use that as
leverage to avoid the vote and let her
have her way, if not she can then say you
gentlemen were unreasonable and it was
you that cost the taxpayers a ton of
money for this vote. She stated that if
Mrs. Teglia does not just want it both
ways - she wants it all ways. She stated
that the responsibility of this election
lies directly with Mrs. Teglia and the
voters should be aware of it tonight and
keep it in mind for the future.
3/4/92
Page 4
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN- 336
Reconsideration - Continued.
She stated that in 1987 when Council
decided to give the power to hire and
fire to the City Manager, Councilwoman
Teglia did not feel that it was a deci-
sion of such magnitude that it could not
be decided by the elected officials of
our City. She stated that she did not
then ask for it to be put to a vote of
the people of S.S.F., now that same pro-
cess has determined that this respon-
sibility should be returned to Council
and Mrs. Teglia feels that it must be put
to a vote of the people -- or does she.
She believed that Mrs. Teglia meant what
she said, she hopes the referendum will
force Council to back down from their
considered vote of 1/22/92.
She suggested that if the Council
acquiesces to Councilwoman Teglia's wish
that you rescind the ordinance, you will
have succumbed to her political blackmail
tactic. She continued, four votes will
have been cast tonight robbing 21,416
registered voters of S.S.F. of a voice in
this matter that Councilwoman Teglia
fought so fervently for this past month.
She stated that we gained 206 registered
voters during this referendum.
She reminded the Council that the
referendum itself was not meant to be the
determining factor in this issue, and
also believed that S.S.F. wants 1/10 of
its registered voters - many of whom are
so politically unaware that they signed
the petition more than once using invalid
or incomplete signatures, and many other
errors outlined by Mrs. Battaya. She
stated that there was considerable
expense to the City for these invalid
signatures along with the ones that were
registered voters who were weeded out
leaving some 2,200 voters Mrs. Teglia
hopes to use to support her one
dissenting vote on 1/22/92. She stated
that she would hope the four gentlemen
find the time between now and the elec-
tion to persuade voters that at least
this City Manager should not have the
powers he enjoys today.
3/4/92
Page 5
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN.
Reconsideration - Continued.
She stated that that there was one
lingering question about Mrs. Teglia's
campaign expense filing, if she and her
supporters could scrape up the needed
funds for this referendum - why didn't
they donate the $250.00 for the
outstanding bill at the Radisson for the
victory party in November. She stated
that she guessed she knew who you can
stiff, and for how long.
Vice Mayor Teglia responded: if there is
an election, if it does go to the ballot,
it will be because of the vote of the
Council; the referendum process allows
for people to express to their Council a
desire to reconsider an action short of
refusing to reconsider that action, then
what is left is a dictation that it be
placed on the ballot for the public to
decide; she did not have a problem with
that, if the Council was going to make
major policy changes in this City it
ought to become far more political than
what we are and less professional than we
ought to be; she felt that was a decision
for the voters to make, and she was not
afraid of that decision; the referendum
was not for everybody, they didn't have
to solicit everybody; with respect to the
$500.00, it doesn't take a lot of money
to circulate a paper and those expenses,
the printing and set up, was paid for by
the people that wanted the opportunity to
be heard and it was under $500.00 and it
was not necessary for us to form a com-
mittee; with respect to the dissenting
vote, my dissenting vote, and people
running around town making it appear to
be that it is a disgruntlement, that four
members of Council voted one way, one
member did not and was unhappy and did
not get her way - that is not the case;
that she had been on the Council a long
time and had come up on the end of the
stick on many votes, and never went after
a referendum ever, but this one is real
important; that the short end of the
stick was Jack Drago when he indicated
that he had a major problem with the
appointment of a Fire Chief, and there
3/4/92
Page 6
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN
........... 338
Reconsideration - Continued.
were three persons that did not have a
problem with the appointment - there were
not four people opposed to that, it was
the short end of the stick that started
all of this and she wanted that on the
record; yes she was hoping there were
people out there that were concerned
about what was taking place, and there
were, and people were concerned and
wanted to examine this further and the
referendum was successful; and she felt
there was a lot of license being taking
with those remarks.
Mrs. Smith stated that Mrs. Teglia was
taking license, and she felt it was
unworthy of her to keep referring back to
Jack Drago and the Fire Chief appoint-
ment. She stated that the question was
on the job credentials of that position
and the way they were interpreted and the
hiring process; and for her to keep going
back to that and chewing it up and
chewing up that Councilman was unworthy
of her. She stated that she would debate
Mrs. Teglia in an open forum on the
interpretation of that job credential any
day of the week. She stated that one of
the meeting tapes Mrs. Teglia had read
that job credential and kept referring to
the equivalency of the AA, and there is
no equivalency - the equivalency was to
the BA.
Mr. Paul Tognetti, 849 Olive Ave., stated
that we have a question here to vote on
and one person got up here and gave her
personal opinion, which she is entitled
to, that is the right of free speech. He
continued, however, when she makes accu-
sations that are not only her personal
opinion and not supported by fact, then
someone has to say something. He spoke
in detail of circulating the petitions,
speaking to people, and that ni,e out
of ten signed the petitions.
He stated that he happened to know more
about the Fire Dept and had worked and
slept with Jack Drago 24 hours a day as a
fireman, but sometimes his emotions
3/4/92
Page 7
A G E N DA A CT I O N T AK E~ 33~
Reconsideration - Continued.
overrule his sound judgment. He stated
that Roberta had said earlier that this
here would never have happened, it should
never have been dragged here in the first
place and should have been done behind
closed doors. He stated that it had been
dragged out here and the fireworks
started, and now we have reached the
point where we have the petition, so you
either act legally with the Attorney or
whatever but don't beat a dead horse. He
spoke of it being like the old Russian
dictatorship policy to shoot up the vote,
and seal up the ballot. He stated that
the Council had the referendum, it
passed, so let's get on with it and
don't let the personal opinion of one
woman interfere. He stated that he would
be glad to debate with facts, rather than
just a personal opinion. He suggested
getting on with it and cut out the knit
picking, and stop these insults and act
like grown up people.
Councilman Drago stated that Mrs. Smith
was one of the few people who had gotten
to the microphone and stated the facts
and the issues, and not brought per-
sonalities into it.
He stated that he had researched the
ordinance and felt the public should know
some facts: the ordinance had only been
in effect for five years; that the minu-
tes of the meeting, and it took four
meetings before it was adopted, Mayor
Addiego stated that unless there was a
recognizable problem, a need or justifi-
cation for change, he was not enthu-
siastic over this ordinance; Councilman
Haffey stated he was disappointed because
he was prepared to compromise on this
ordinance, and was prepared to have a
ratification by the Council -- exactly
what we are talking about today; Mayor
Addiego stated that after speaking with
the consultants who were looking to hire
a city manager - that was when he was
ready to stay with the ordinance the
way it was written -- this is how this
came about.
3/4/92
Page 8
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN
,- 340
Reconsideration - Continued.
He stated that Councilwoman Teglia had
dragged this thing into a personality
clash, it's a game to her, and he was not
going to fall into that game and was
going to stick to the issues to serve
this City, to govern this City because he
was the one held accountable. He stated
that he was not afraid to be held accoun-
table, and he preferred it be on the
ballot but was sorry the City had to
spend the dollars.
He stated that he was also open to deba-
tes with facts and lay off the buzz words
in the papers, and was tired of every time
an issue didn't go Mrs. Teglia's way -
it's pay back time, and he wanted her to
explain what that meant.
He stated that this ordinance had not
been in effect for one hundred years,
only five and it had taken four meetings
to effect the ordinance. He stated that
Mrs. Teglia had said in those minutes
that she did it reluctantly, and the
third vote had been because of the con-
sultants who said it would make it easier
to get a city manager if they changed the
ordinance; and it never went before the
community.
He stated that every time he gets
attacked personally he was going to come
back with the truth and we will see whose
integrity and credibility was valid.
Vice Mayor Teglia stated she did not
think it was a game, but was a tragic set
of circumstances. She stated that there
was a time that the Council dealt with
policy and matters of importance such as
the budget, BART, and instead were
mucking around with how to hire people,
etc.
She stated that five years ago the
Council knew the power they held in their
hands and knew the rotten reputation
that was embedded in cement, and were
told by the firm that to search for a
qualified professional to come to the
3/4/92
Page 9
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN. 341
' ~. Reconsideration - Continued.
City, they needed a city manager form of
government where he was held responsible
for the actions of those below him. She
continued, unless that was in place we
would not get decent candidates.
She requested that the Council get back
to governing this City at this time by
reconsidering that ordinance. She stated
that there was no need to take away the
powers of the City Manager, there are no
other department heads up for replacement
and we have time to study and act deli-
berately because this was tearing the
fabric of the Council of this government
apart.
Councilman Drago stated that Councilwoman
Teglia was asking us to rescind the pre-
vious action, and he wanted to refer back
to the referendum petition of 1985 with
3,000 valid signatures wherein she said
she could not support rescinding the
action because the matter should be put
before the people.
Mr. Donald Arndt, 319 Spruce Ave., stated
that he was against the Council doing the
hiring and firing, had voted for all of
the Council except John, and wanted
Council input but not a final decision on
who provides important services to our
City. He stated that it was clear that
he could not vote for the City Manager,
he is not accountable to me - you are.
He stated that if he had a concern or an
opinion it was the Council he would bring
it to for discussions among themselves
and in closed session if allowed that
opportunity to do so.
He questioned where one drew the line so
we have a city manager run type of
government and the point where the
Councilmembers get involved and then get
out of the process. He stated that it
was a problem that needs fixing - not
arguing. He stated that you do not go
about it by making waves and polarizing
the City; you don't get it by getting
signatures; you also don't do it by lying
3/4/92
Page 10
^GEND^ ^CTION T^KE,. 342
Reconsideration - Continued.
- we are going to lose our Fire Chief, we
are going to go back to the old days
where decisions were made in the back
room and coffee shops -- that is all
baloney.
He questioned who had done the
influencing anyway - procedures were on
the books that were abused and not
followed and attempted to be swept under
the rug; what was supposed to work
didn't, and that was what he was angry
about. He stated that what was supposed
to work didn't - someone was out of line
and dictated their policies over and
above the Council I voted for and we are
all stuck between a rock and a hard place
now. He stated that the previous ordinance
didn't work, the current one doesn't
work, and it is obvious that the current
one could be abused. He stated that
other cities have ordinance that work,
and we have to start by getting one that
is a lot closer to working and has to
include the Council.
He stated that his challenge to the
Council was to get it right - don't
fight.
Vice Mayor Teglia stated that she agreed
with Mr. Arndt, however, that took a
group like this to sit and talk it out,
but when you adopted an ordinance you
only have 30 days before it takes effect
and you have to get the signatures.
She stated that she would like to have
the Council rescind the ordinance, leave
it in place, at the end of the year the
Council could pass that ordinance again
and in that year they could study other
ordinances, have study sessions with con-
sultants, and see what was needed.
She stated that in reference to lying,
various Councilmembers had made state-
ments that they had chosen to forget, and
refuted the issues of lies being told
about the Fire Chief being fired and felt
3/4/92
Page 11
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN
Reconsideration - Continued.
the only thing protecting him was the
former ordinance and the City Manager's
contract.
Mr. Arndt stated that he had heard all of
the Council say that the Fire Chief's job
was secure, and he trusted all of them,
and he did hear people say we would lose
the Fire Chief.
Mr. Jim Claar, 717 Circle Court, stated
that Councilman Drago had mentioned the
cost of the election, yet the way he
understood this the election would be
consolidated with the countywide election
and the cost would be minimal - no any
$30,000.00. He stated that the School
Board special election only cost $11,000-
$12,000, so he wondered where the $30,000
was coming from.
Councilman Drago stated he had received
his figures from the City Clerk and asked
her to respond.
City Clerk Battaya stated that she had
given an estimate to anyone who asked,
and understood that Councilwoman Teglia
called Warren Slocum's Office today and
had been told it is a maximum of $16,000,
and could be as low as $11,000 which was
also her projected figure. She stated
that costs for a special election had
been projected by looking at the 1981
election with an one item issue at a cost
of $24,000, and figuring a 30% escalation
per year, $30,000 was a conservative
figure.
Vice Mayor Teglia stated she did call
Mr. Slocum who said the printing cost was
some 50~ per registered voter, and could
be as low as $11,000, and as high as
$12,000-13,000. She stated that she did
not question that a special election
could cost $30,000.00, and felt this
was a process in this country where
voters could speak out on something that
might affect them for a number of years.
She spoke of decisions made that had cost
a lot of money for a lot of years, and as
3/4/92
Page 12
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN- 344
Reconsideration - Continued.
a result did not feel that spending
$16,000 was out of line. She stated that
the Council did not have to spend a dime
- it could take other action.
Councilman Fernekes stated that Council
had adopted the ordinance in January, and
had said they would come back with a
policy in selection, evaluating, and had
no intention of firing department heads,
but would be part of the process and have
input. He stated that was very clear in
the resolution, a policy for the public
to see, that it would be fair in all
areas with City Manager recommendations,
and no one would be fired.
Vice Mayor Teglia stated that Councilman
Fernekes should talk to some of the mem-
bers of Council and make sure they are on
the same party line - who were running
around right now indicating department
heads who are going; and could even men-
tion the department head mentioned in the
conversation, but didn't feel that would
be fair to that person. She stated that
a resolution was just a policy, just
that, it has no force or effect and
Council does not have to follow it.
Councilman Drago questioned the Attorney
if that was true, that a resolution had
no force or effect, and we don't have to
abide by them.
City Attorney O'Toole stated that what
Councilman Teglia was referring to was
that there is no criminal penalty
attached to it and no financial penalty,
but Council was obligated to the policies
it sets and if it wishes to change it
then it should be by resolution.
Mayor Penna stated that the Council had
changed the ordinance and set a proce-
dures, so it is not a policy.
City Attorney O'Toole reiterated that a
resolution was a policy.
Councilman Drago stated that the old
3/4/92
Page 13
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN~' 345
Reconsideration - Continued.
ordinance, prior to 60 days ago, was
modified by the City Manager's agreement
where he gave up a portion of his power
about 12 months ago when the agreement
was changed to indicate the 4/5 veto by
the Council and superseded the ordinance
in force.
City Attorney O'Toole stated that it did
not supersede the ordinance, it modified
it, and this happened often when the
ordinance was general in nature and the
Council would enact enabling legislation;
an example was the personnel ordinance.
Councilman Drago questioned, that if the
existing ordinance stays on the books,
then the City Manager has complete
authority to hire and fire.
City Attorney O'Toole stated that if he
was talking about the Council delegating
authority - yes, this was done all the
time.
Councilman Drago stated that the resolu-
tion now steps into play beyond the ordi-
nance, and the Manager had to comply with
the requirements. He stated that in the
resolution had the Council involved with
the top three candidates and the City
Manager's recommendation.
City Attorney O'Toole stated that the
resolution was a policy which the Council
sets in numerous areas all the time. He
stated that the Council adopts an ordi-
nance, and then a resolution to implement
the policy rather than use the ordinance
which make it a law and inflexible.
Mayor Penna stated that Councilwoman
Teglia had said that three members of the
Council had no problems with the appoint-
ment -- that was not true, he did have a
problem.
Vice Mayor Teglia called the Mayor a
liar.
Councilman Drago stated that
3/4/92
Page 14
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN. 34G
Reconsideration - Continued.
Councilmembers were being belittled con-
tinuously, and felt that a member should
be censored for these remarks.
Mayor Penna stated that he wanted to make
it clear that he had problems with the
hiring of the Fire Chief and had several
questions he had written, and was told
that there were not four members that
would oppose that appointment. He con-
tinued, so he did not pursue it until
they had gone to a closed session and
found there were four members - and
therein lies the problems.
He stated that he had repeatedly said
from the podium that no department heads
had anything to worry about in their job,
and he wanted that communicated to the
staff to let them know that their ser-
vices were appreciated. He felt that was
very important in view of the comments
stated tonight.
He stated that it had been said that its
a rotten position for the City to be in,
and it didn't make any sense to him to
circulate a petition for a referendum and
then say you want to negotiate. He
stated that Mr. Arndt and others had said
that it was a question that has to do
with - do you want your elected officials
to run the City and set policy or do you
want us to be tied to a rigid rule and
cannot dictate policy necessary to run
the City. He continued, that left the
Council with two alternatives: to fire
the City Manager, and that is extreme,
or control the budget and that makes it
difficult because if we have no contact
with the dept. heads and have to rely on
the City Manager with regards to the
budget we are lost as to confirming
figures that are given, and the items to
be cut.
He reiterated history of past City
Managers Birkelo and Lewis and the
search conducted to hire a new manager,
and one of the finalists was Mr. Armas,
and two Councilmembers went to Mr. Armas
3/4/92
Page 15
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN
Reconsideration - Continued.
347
and said he would be hired without the
concurrence of the other three members of
Council.
City Manager Armas stated that that was
absolutely untrue. He stated that
Council made a decision and communicated
that, to the consultant acting in their
behalf, and conversations were limited to
the consultants and he had no contact
with the Council outside of the formal
interview process. He stated that in
1988 following Mr. Lewis leaving the City
a delegation was sent and then only did
conversations take place.
Discussion followed: that Mr. Lewis had
been hired as City Manager; there was an
article in the newspapers that dealt with
a controversy 12 months previously over
the appointment, etc.
Vice Mayor Teglia stated that the delega-
tion was supposed to be she and the
Mayor, but the Mayor had hemorroids, and
this was at the direction of the full
Council to ask the person who was a high
contender nine months before if he was
still interested; and prior to that time
had not met with Mr. Armas. She stated
that the offer of employment to Mr. Armas
was a unanimous decision by the Council
because they had spent a lot of money
nine months before on the recruitment,
and Mr. Armas was receptive.
Councilman Drago stated that he just
found out who gave him the hemorroids.
City Manager Armas stated that he would
appreciate it, if these innuendos were
going to continue, that there be some
extensive research made in order to have
a positive footing for the assertions.
Mayor Penna stated that it did not make
sense to him to have a member of the
Council to do a referendum to protect the
Manager's position as a City Manager and
then turn around when we are ready to
certify it and put it on the ballot to
3/4/92
Page 16
-. 348
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN
Reconsideration - Continued.
have the public make a decision binding
on the Council and then come and try to
negotiate.
Vice Mayor Teglia stated that this was
being done for the next city manager,
because Mr. Armas was going to go because
this was an impossible situation all the
way around.
Mayor Penna stated that if the public
votes the referendum in the Council would
not have a process and have a say or
participation in the hiring process. He
stated that if the public wanted that he
would abide by it, but the public needs
to understand that if the process goes in
we will be handcuffed in making any cri-
tical decisions.
Vice Mayor Teglia stated that was wrong,
and the only areas it dealt with ere the
personnel practices of the City, and
keeps the political policy making body
out and not recommending their buddies
for jobs.
She stated that during the circulation
campaign we had people out there cir-
culating petitions that got phone calls
that said if they had relatives in the
City they better watch out if they signed
the referendum. She stated that they
were talking about the City Council
getting involved not only with the dept.
heads, but influencing the action in the
City. She stated that the Council belonged
making policy.
Mayor Penna stated that the Council had
not been involved and there had been a
veto power only on dept. heads, and the
process was not followed. He stated that
four of the Council were saying that the
process was not followed and had voted
for a resolution to clarify the contract
so there were no questions later which
Roberta disagreed with and brought it to
a referendum.
Vice Mayor Teglia stated that the
3/4/92
Page 17
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN
e
Reconsideration - Continued.
Resolution calling a Special Election
to be consolidated with the 6/2/92
Primary Election on the Referendum£~O
Against adoption of Ordinance No. ~
1110-92.
A RESOLUTION CALLING A SPECIAL
ELECTION TO BE CONSOLIDATED WITH
THE JUNE 2, 1992 PRIMARY ELECTION
ON A REFERENDUM AGAINST ORDINANCE
NO. 1110-92 PASSED BY THE CITY
COUNCIL CONCERNING THE POWER TO
APPOINT DEPARTMENT HEADS BY THE
CITY COUNCIL TO BE SUBMITTED TO
343
referendum addresses the ordinance, not
the resolution, and if the referendum
passes it means that the Council is the
policy making body with a city manager
form of government where he does the
hiring and firing. She stated that there
was a process and the Manager didn't just
go out and hire a Fire Chief.
Discussion followed in the debate: if
the referendum passed the resolution would
not be in place, and Council would not
have participation in the hiring and
firing process; if the referendum passes
the City Manager can appoint his
secretary as Fire Chief because there
are no qualifications he has to abide by;
currently there is a contract with the
City Manager that allows a 4/5/ veto by
the Council, but if there was not a
meeting, the Council could not exercise a
veto as had happened; there were qualifi-
cations in the job specifications that
the Manager should follow; whether
district elections, term limits or other
measures could be added to the ballot;
that the timing was not sufficient to add
items because the deadline was Friday,
and those item were not on the agenda;
that it was a shame people had to call
others names to get their point across.
Motion by Vice Mayor Teglia - To repeal
Ordinance No. 1110-92.
Motion dies for lack of a Second.
M/S Drago/Fernekes - To adopt the
Resolution.
RESOLUTION NO. 18-92
Vice Mayor Teglia stated that she would
vote aye because her Motion to rescind
the ordinance had failed.
Carried by unanimous roll call vote.
3/4/92
Page 18
AGENDA ACTION TAKEN,, 350
Be
Resolution - Continued.
THE VOTERS OF THE CITY OF SOUTH
SAN FRANCISCO
Resolution calling for election t#O~
services from the County Clerk
m-,
for the 6/2/92 Special Election.
A RESOLUTION REQUESTING COUNTY
CLERK OF SAN MATEO COUNTY TO
RENDER SPECIFIED ELECTION
SERVICES
1. Closed Session - Continued.
RECALL TO ORDER:
~DJOURNMENT:
M/S Drago/Fernekes - To adopt the
Resolution calling for election services
from the County Clerk.
RESOLUTION NO. 19-92
Carried by unanimous roll call vote.
Council adjourned to a Closed Session to
continued the previous discussions at
8:40 p.m.
Mayor Penna recalled the meeting to order
at 9:15 p.m., no action was taken.
M/S Fernekes/Drago - To adjourn the
meeting.
Carried by unanimous voice vote.
Time of adjournment was 9:15 p.m.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
~ttaya~
City of South San Francisco
Zltrh~? Peni~q~ Mayor
City of~an Franci
SCO
The entries of this Council meeting show the action taken by the City Council to dispose
of an item. Oral communications, arguments, and comments are recorded on tape. The tape
and documents related to the items are on file in the Office of the City Clerk and are
available for inspection, review and copying.
31419~.
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