08/23/2018 Open Government Commission Regular Meeting Adopted 11/08/2018
Open Government Commission Minutes
8/23/2018
GILROY OPEN GOVERNMENT COMMISSION
Minutes
August 23, 2018
I. OPENING
A. Call to Order and Roll Call
Chairperson Esposito called the meeting to order a t 7:02 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Commissioner Alison Beach, Chairperson Robert Esposito,
Commissioner Jon Newland, Commissioner Amanda Rudeen
Absent: Commissioner James Weaver
II. PRESENTATIONS TO THE OPEN GOVERNMENT COMMISSION
A. PUBLIC COMMENT BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS NOT ON THE
AGENDA BUT WITHIN THE COMMISSION’s SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION
There were none.
III. CONSENT CALENDAR
A. Approval of the Minutes of May 10, 2018
There were no public comments.
Motion on Item III. A.
Motion was made by Commissioner Newland, seconded by Commissioner Rudeen
and carried 3-0-1-1 (Commissioner Beach abstaining and Commissioner Weaver
absent) to approve the May 10, 2018 minutes.
IV. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
There was none.
V. NEW BUSINESS
A. Quarterly Review of Public Records Requests Per Gilroy Code Section 17A.35 (c)
Open Government Commission Minutes
8/23/2018
(Second Quarter, 2018)
The staff report was presented by City Clerk Freels.
Commissioner Newland asked for clarification of the categories of records that were not
disclosed by the Police Department during the quarter, and Assistant City Attorney
Houston provided clarification on the protected records such as ongoing cases, those
records protected under case law, and juvenile records.
There were no public comments.
Motion on Item VA.
Motion was made by Chair Esposito, seconded by Commissioner Rudeen and
carried 4-0-1 (Commissioner Weaver absent) to receive the report.
B. Consideration of a Proposal from the Chair of the Bicycle Pedestrian
Commission to Recommend Video Recording Select City Board and
Commission Meetings
Commissioner Weaver joined the meeting at 7:13 p.m.
The proposal was presented by Bicycle Pedestrian Commissio n Chairperson Hilton.
Discussion among the Commissioners ensued regarding the costs associated with the
proposal, surveying other agencies on their practices, capturing video at the different
meeting locations, and the goal of providing greater access to Board and Commission
meetings in addition to minutes.
City Administrator Gonzalez spoke the staff costs associated with training qualified staff
for the filming of meetings and the use of CMAP explaining that the overall fiscal impacts
of the proposal would need to be researched further if the Council wished to proceed with
the request.
City Clerk Freels explained that the videos would need to be managed and stored as
public records for 10 years for retention purposes, similar to the audio records that were
currently being maintained for 20 years.
Commissioner Beach spoke on the need for more data and research to determine the
need, and to see if other cities were videoing Commission meetings, and Commissioner
Rudeen suggested offering video for higher profile meeting items identified by the
Commission and allocation of monies to each group.
Chairperson Esposito stated that the proposal would provide more transparency to the
public, which was the mission of the Commission, explaining that fiscal impacts and most
common practices would be addressed by staff if the Council chose to move forward.
Open Government Commission Minutes
8/23/2018
Public comment was opened.
A member of the public stated that the minutes were not always posted within 10 working
days after a meeting, and videos of meetings could be available more immediately.
Public comment was then closed.
Motion on Item V.B.
Motion was made by Chairperson Esposito, seconded by Commissioner Rudeen
and carried 5-0 that the Commission agreed that the proposal would enhance
transparency.
VI. CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
City Administrator Gonzalez spoke on the request for e mail notifications on personal
phones explaining that it was not feasible for the City. He then spoke on a claim that had
been filed which could cause for the appeal of denied public records requests.
VII. CITY CLERK’S REPORT
City Clerk Freels announced that the Commissions annual presentation to Council was
scheduled for December 3, 2018 and described the Board and Commission attendance
policy that would be presented to Council on September 10th .
VIII. CITY ATTORNEY'S REPORT
A. Update on the California Law Revision Commission Proposed Recodification
of the California Public Records Act
Assistant City Attorney Houston spoke on the police records provisions of the revisions
and the renumbering of the Public Records Act Government Code sections and the
success of the City Attorney’s Department of the League of California Cities in
commenting on the proposal.
IX. REPORTS OF COMMISSION MEMBERS
There were none.
X. FUTURE COMMISSION INITIATED AGENDA ITEMS - SET NEXT MEETING DATE
The annual presentation to the City Council was added to the future agenda.
XI. ADJOURNMENT
The Commission adjourned the meeting at 8:03 p.m.