MARIJUANA OFFENSES
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
MINUTES
July 26, 2007, 10:00 am - 11:30 am
City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place, Rm. 278
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
The meeting of the Community Oversight Committee was called to order at 10:15 a.m. by Committee staff, Jill Lerner, Office of the City Administrator.
Present:
Patt Denning, Camilla Norman Field, Michael Goldstein, Mira Ingram, Aleem Raja, Richard Rendon, and Catherine Smith
2. APPROVAL OF DRAFT JUNE MINUTES
The June 13, 2007-draft minutes were discussed and corrected.
Public comments:
Ms. Finkelstein said she would make a sunshine ordinance complaint regarding the previous meeting because she was concerned about the way public comments were handled. A member of the public was concerned that city meetings are becoming lackadaisical and would like this meeting to run more efficiently.
Mr. Raja moved, and Ms. Denning seconded, that the June minutes as amended be approved. The motion passed unanimously.
3. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Public comments:
Mr. Cohen said the by-laws should be discussed before the elections because the committee should have two co-chairs rather than a chair and vice-chair. Ms. Lerner reminded the public that the committee needed to move forward with the business of the committee. Ms. Gochenaur wanted to have the chairs be people who have direct contact with the effect communities.
Aleem Raja nominated Mira Ingram, seconded by Katherine Smith.
Richard Rendon nominated Camilla Norman Field, seconded by Michael Goldstein.
Camilla Norman Field nominated Michael Goldstein, seconded by Patt Denning.
Public comments:
Ms. Finkelstein was concerned about the procedure at the last meeting. She felt the chair should be connected to disadvantaged communities. She was concerned about comments made by committee members. Mr. Cohen agreed and also was concerned about the ethnic composition of the committee. Ms. Gochenaur hoped that the policy position on the committee would play a supportive, rather than chair, role. Ms. Norris supported Ms. Field's nomination and was concerned that the committee was getting bogged down in bureaucracy. A member of the public supported Ms. Ingram's nomination. Ms. Aldrich supported Ms. Field's nomination. Mr. Martinelli supported Ms. Ingram's nomination. Ms. Field apologized if her comments after the previous meeting offended anyone.
Mira Ingram received YES votes from Ms. Smith, Mr. Raja, and Ms. Ingram.
Camilla Norman Field received YES votes from Ms. Denning, Mr. Rendon, Mr. Goldstein, and Ms. Field.
Michael Goldstein received YES votes only from Ms. Denning, Mr. Rendon, Mr. Goldstein, Ms. Field, and Mr. Raja.
There were no abstentions.
The two chairs nominated were Ms. Field and Mr. Goldstein because they each received more YES votes than Ms. Ingram
4. DISCUSSION OF BY-LAWS
There was a discussion about whether co-chairs are better than a chair and vice-chair. There was also a discussion about the location of the meeting. It was agreed that the by-laws would be amended and voted on at the next meeting.
5. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Ms. Gochenaur wanted the staff assigned to the committee to be approachable. A member of the public wanted to have affirmative action language in the by-laws. Another member of the public asked that public comment not be shorter than three minutes per person. Chris Conrad encouraged the committee to take up the issue of the religious use of marijuana.
6. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at noon.
