Drafter
Clerk 01/13/2009
Title
A MOTION relating to the organization of the council, adopting a council mission statement, eliminating certain committees, creating new committees and appointing chairs, vice-chairs and members of committees, clarifying use of council postage funds and clarifying staff assignment process, amending Motion 10651, Section III, as amended, and OR 1-020, Motion 11122, Section B, as amended, and OR 2-010, Motion 11222, Section D, as amended, and OR 2-020, Motion 10651, Section V, as amended, and OR 2-030, Motion 11222, Section G, as amended, and OR 2-040, Motion 11122 Section H, as amended, and OR 2-050, Motion 11122, Section F, as amended, and OR 2-120, Motion 10651, Section VI, as amended, and OR 3-010, Motion 10651, Section VII, as amended and OR 3-030, and Motion 10651, Section VIII, as amended, and OR 3-040 and adding a new section to the organizational compilation.
Body
WHEREAS, the King County Charter provides that the county council "shall elect one of its members as chairman, shall be responsible for its own organization," and
WHEREAS, the council desires to adopt a mission statement, create new committees, elect chairs and vice-chairs and establish membership of the committees and clarify the staff assignment process;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
I. There is hereby added to the organizational compilation a new section to read as follows:
The mission of the metropolitan King County council is to earn public trust, enhance quality of life, and protect public health and safety.
II. Motion 10651, Section III, as amended, and OR 1-020 are each hereby amended as follows:
A. The chair, with their consent, shall appoint councilmembers to regional committees, standing committees, administrative committees, special committees and outside committees as required or as deemed necessary to efficiently conduct the business of the council. The council recognizes that its committee structure, membership and chairs and vice-chairs reflect the council's will. Any changes thereto shall be made only by formal legislative motion adopted by a majority of the members at a council meeting.
B. The chair shall have the responsibility and general direction for the council's resources, budget, operation and organizational structure. The chair shall be responsible for the general oversight of legislative branch employees, except personal staff of councilmembers. The council chief of staff ((and policy staff director)) shall be responsible for the overall management and administration of legislative branch employees as specified in OR 3-030.
C. The chair of the council shall not enter into a consultant contract for more than twenty-five thousand dollars without first being authorized to do so by council motion. All consultants shall comply with the King County code of ethics.
D. The chair shall regularly consult in the exercise of her or his duties with the vice-chairs. The chair, in consultation with committee chairs, shall direct the necessary coordination of staff. The council's chief of staff ((and the policy staff director)) shall report to the chair. The chair may exercise any power conferred upon the chief of staff or policy staff director.
E. The chair shall be a member of the employment and administration committee.
III. Motion 11122, Section B, as amended, and OR 2-010 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
The council may go into committee of the whole at any time. The committee of the whole shall consider: issues of interest to the entire council, including the annual work program and appointments to the state legislature and to the executive branch; the annual legislative program; legislation before the federal, state and local governments that affect King County; agendas for council meetings; and other program and policy matters. The committee of the whole shall be responsible for conducting regular town hall meetings on issues of significance.
The committee of the whole shall receive the initial briefing on the 2009 health provision work plan, in response to a 2009 budget proviso, Ordinance 16312, Section 92, P-5. The committee of the whole may hold briefings on the status of the mental illness and drug dependency fund services and programs.
For the purposes of K.C.C. chapter 3.16, the committee of the whole is designated as the committee responsible for establishing labor policy and the committee responsible for labor implementation, including labor agreements and labor-related issues such as employee benefits and implementation of the furlough. The committee of the whole shall consider labor policy issues at least annually.
IV. Motion 11122, Section D, as amended, and OR 2-020 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
In addition to any committee otherwise established by law, the committees of the metropolitan King County council and their respective functions are established as follows:
((Capital budget committee shall review capital improvement proposals and programs, including financial plans, revenues and expenditures; provide capital project oversight; review and consider the sale and lease of real property; and consider and make recommendations on capital budget appropriations and on debt and investment proposals, levies, fees and taxes and relating to capital expenditures.
The auditor's office shall report to the capital budget committee when performing its large capital construction proposals oversight function in accordance with the 2007 Budget Ordinance, Ordinance 15652, Section 1.F.8.
B. General government and labor relations committee shall:
1. Consider and make recommendations on policies relating to management organizational structure; customer service; the efficiency, cost effectiveness and performance of county departments, including: assessor; personnel; purchasing; civil rights and compliance; real property management; general services; records and elections; facilities management; risk management; safety and worker's compensation; and cooperative extension community services;
2. Consider and make recommendations to the full council on the annual audit program;
3. Consider and make recommendations to the full council on labor agreements;
4. Perform the functions of the labor implementation committee as specified in K.C.C. chapter 3.16;
5. Consider and make recommendations relating to information technology;
6. Consider and make recommendations relating to constitutional and human rights, discrimination, civil and criminal liability, ethics and campaign practices; and
7. Consider and make recommendations relating to the King County international airport.
C. Growth management and natural resources committee shall consider and make recommendations on policies and issues relating to land use development, comprehensive planning, development regulations, regulatory reform and recommendations to the department of development and environmental services (DDES). In respect to consideration of updates of the Comprehensive Plan, all members of the council not assigned to the growth management and natural resources committee will be considered voting members of the committee. Only for those portions of a meeting when the committee votes on recommendations on the Comprehensive Plan shall these additional members be considered members of the committee for purposes of quorum and attendance. The chair of the committee may refer various portions of the Comprehensive Plan to panels of members. The chair of the committee may employ the various standing committees as panels. The panels shall transmit their recommendations to all councilmembers for their consideration before the committee refers the annual update of the Comprehensive Plan to the council.
The committee shall consider and make recommendations relating to: market rate housing and housing affordability; Growth Management Planning Council ("GMPC"), including GMPC task forces, timelines, products such as benchmarking and land capacity, and Countywide Planning Policies; Potential Annexation Areas; boundary review board; planned action environmental impact statements and related phased state Environmental Policy Act review; and the Puget Sound Regional Council; and development and land use regulations necessary to either implement salmon recovery or comply with the Endangered Species Act, or both.
The committee shall consider and make recommendations relating to subarea planning community councils and other unincorporated self-government strategies.
The committee shall consider and make recommendations on policies and issues relating to: resource lands; flood control and surface water and stormwater management; water quality and quantity; and the restoration of Puget Sound.
D. Law, justice and human services committee shall:
1. Consider and make recommendations on policies relating to: public safety; adult detention; juvenile justice programs; youth services; the superior and district courts; judicial administration; prosecuting attorney; and public defense; and
2. Consider and make recommendations on matters relating to personal and environmental health; mental health; developmental disabilities; alcoholism and substance abuse; emergency medical services; human services; families and children; women's programs; and aging programs.
E. Operating budget, fiscal management and select issues committee shall, in consideration of the operating budget: review and monitor the operating budget, including financial plans, revenues, expenditures, quarterly reports and operating programs; monitor the financial status of county funds; consider and make recommendations to all operating supplemental appropriations; and consider and make recommendations on debt and investment proposals, levies, fees and taxes concerning noncapital expenditures. The committee shall consider and make recommendations on municipal annexations and incorporations and shall consider and make recommendations on matters pertaining to two particular issues before the council:
1. The 2007 United States Department of Justice report concerning the King County jail and the county's ongoing response to the issues addressed in that report; and
2. Matters relating to the county's mental illness and drug dependency action plan and revenues raised by the King County mental health additional sales and use tax authorized in Ordinance 15949.
F. Transportation committee shall consider and make recommendations on policies relating to: transportation; planning; roads; engineering; and public transportation.
G. 2009 budget review and adoption committee shall convene for the purpose of reviewing and making recommendations on the executive's proposed 2009 annual budget. All members of the council shall be considered ex officio voting members of the committee for the duration of the committee's review of the executive's proposed 2009 annual budget. The chair of the 2009 budget review and adoption committee shall appoint members to an operating budget panel and to a capital budget panel.
H. Utilities and parks committee shall consider and make recommendations on: policies and programs, other than those relating to any one or more of land use development, comprehensive planning and development regulations, relating to parks and open space; recreation programs; regional trails; cultural resources; and utility services including wastewater treatment and water quality and quantity, solid waste management, recycling services, utility annexations, utility comprehensive plans and franchises and cable communications and telecommunications issues.))
A. Budget and fiscal management committee shall consider and make recommendations on: the county revenue and expenditure fiscal structural gap; capital and operating budget appropriations; the sale and lease of real property to or by the county; debt and investment proposals; bond issues; the office of economic and financial analysis; and financial policies.
1. The committee shall develop recommendations on policy direction for the 2010 annual budget, based on the recommendations of other council committees and taking into account the estimated fiscal impacts of state and federal legislation.
2. In respect to consideration of the county's proposed annual budget, all members of the council not assigned to the budget and fiscal management committee shall be considered ex officio voting members of the committee.
B. Government accountability and oversight committee.
1. The committee shall consider and make recommendations on:
a. policies relating to strategic planning; performance management and performance measurement; management organizational structure; technology management; customer service; and
b. the efficiency, cost effectiveness and performance of county departments and programs including: assessor; elections; records and licensing; animal control; cable communications; the county fair; King County international airport; risk management; executive services such as telecommunications, facilities management, purchasing, and real property management; capital project oversight; and wastewater treatment and solid waste.
2. In the areas within the committee's purview, the committee shall track state and federal legislative action and develop recommendations on policy direction for the 2010 annual budget.
3. The committee shall make recommendations on the annual audit program and shall review reports of the county auditor.
C. Law, justice, health and human services committee.
1. The committee shall consider and make recommendations on policies relating to:
a. law, safety, criminal justice and emergency management programs including those related to public safety; adult detention; juvenile justice and youth services; superior and district courts; judicial administration; prosecuting attorney; public defense; emergency medical services; emergency management, including disaster response, emergency preparedness and emergency planning;
b. public health programs, including those related to the protection, promotion and provision functions of the department of public health, including the structure of the public health centers; and
c. human services programs, including review of the veterans and human services levy programs and options for levy renewal; therapeutic and low-income housing; and civil rights and social justice.
2. In the areas within the committee's purview, the committee shall track state and federal legislative action and develop recommendations on policy direction for 2010 annual budget.
3. The committee shall have a primary chair and a secondary chair. The primary chair shall have authority to set the agenda and conduct meetings for law, safety, criminal justice and emergency management issues. The secondary chair shall have authority to set the agenda and conduct meetings for health and human services issues. Each chair shall be allocated half of each committee meeting time for that chair's issues, unless that chair determines that the time is not needed at any specific meeting. In the absence of either chair during a meeting, the other chair shall act as chair.
D. Physical environment committee.
1. The committee shall consider and make recommendations on policies relating to:
a. growth management, including land use development and regulation, comprehensive planning, annexations and affordable housing;
b. the environment, including salmon recovery; resource lands; surface water management and water supply; unincorporated and rural areas, including agriculture and rural services; and parks, recreation and cultural resources; and
c. transportation, including roads and public transportation;
2. In the areas within the committee's purview, the committee shall track state and federal legislative action and develop recommendations on policy direction for the 2010 annual budget.
V. Motion 10651, Section V, as amended, and OR 2-030 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
A. Membership requirements ((- duties)). The employment and administration committee shall consist of four members((, with two members from the majority party and two members from the minority party)).
B. Duties and process.
1. Administrative committee. The employment and administration committee is an administrative committee of the council. The employment and administration committee shall consult with councilmembers, the chief of staff and policy staff on a continuing basis in order to review council operations under the staffing structure defined in this motion.
2. Personnel decisions. The employment and administration committee shall make recommendations to the council concerning decisions for legislative branch employees, except for interns and councilmembers' personal staff, and except for minor personnel decisions, which may be made by the chair of the employment and administration committee in accordance with subsection B.5. of this section. Personnel decisions include decisions to hire, to fill vacancies, to make staffing adjustments, ((to assign or reassign staff,)) to designate staff employment assignments, except assignments of policy staff to specific issues and legislation which shall be made by the policy staff director under OR 3-040.D.2, to adjust staff pay, to analyze future hiring needs and to make other necessary employment decisions. Personnel decisions do not include termination or disciplinary decisions, which follow the process stated in subsection B.3. of this section, or minor personnel decisions, which follow the process stated in subsection B.5. of this section. Where applicable, ((E))employment and administration committee recommendations on personnel decisions shall be developed in consultation with appropriate committee chairs and, where applicable, the policy staff director and the chief of staff.
3. Personnel decisions shall be contained in a written recommendation report and may be voted out of committee upon: a. the receipt of the signature of three committee members during a meeting of the committee; or b. subject to signature by a quorum of the committee members in accordance with K.C.C. 1.24.055.C (Rule 6.C). Once the necessary signatures are obtained, recommendation reports from the committee shall be forwarded to the council for consideration on an employment and administration committee consent agenda. The chair of the employment and administration committee shall issue, upon recommendation of the employment and administration committee and with the approval of a majority of the council, all employment decisions for legislative branch employees except interns and the councilmembers' personal staffs.
4. Terminations and disciplinary decisions. The employment and administration committee makes decisions on discipline and termination, including layoffs. If three committee members vote for a termination or disciplinary action the decision is final, except when an employee exercises the right of an appeal to the full council. An employee who has been either suspended without pay of two weeks or more or terminated may appeal the decision of the employment and administration committee to the council. The appeal must be filed within ten calendar days of written notice of the suspension or termination being sent to the employee. An appeal is accomplished by delivering a notice of appeal to the clerk of the council. Nondisciplinary terminations are subject to appeal in the same manner as disciplinary terminations.
5. Minor personnel decisions.
a. The chair of the employment and administration committee shall make all minor personnel decisions as set forth in this subsection B.5. Minor personnel actions are:
(1) authorizing recruiting for a vacated or newly created position;
(2) increasing or reducing the hours assigned to a current position up to the total budgeted hours for the position, as reflected in the Staff and Salary Detail Report maintained by the council administrator;
(3) reassigning an employee employed within a legislative branch agency of the county auditor, board of appeals/equalization, hearing examiner, ombudsman/tax advisor or civic television to another position in the same agency and pay range;
(4) hiring a temporary or a term-limited temporary employee to perform clerical or technical functions, up to a total of the maximum period allowed by ordinance or two years, whichever is less;
(5) extending the employment period of a temporary or a term-limited temporary employee hired to perform clerical or technical functions, up to a total of the maximum period allowed by ordinance or two years, whichever is less; and
(6) approving a carryover of excess vacation leave under K.C.C. 3.12.190 because of cyclical workloads, work assignments or other reasons as may be in the best interests of the county.
b. Requests for minor personnel decisions shall be made in writing to the employment and administration committee chair via the council administrator. Requests may be made only by councilmembers, legislative branch agency managers, the council administrator or a staff member who is supervised directly by the chair of the council. The council administrator shall promptly provide the employment and administration committee chair with a copy of the request and the administrator's recommendation for approval, disapproval or modification of the request.
c. Action on a requested minor personnel decision shall be in writing, signed by the chair of the employment and administration committee. The council administrator shall file the original of the decision action with the clerk of the council, and shall provide copies of the decision action to the agency manager or supervisor, affected employee and members of the employment and administration committee.
6. Nothing in this process is to be construed to alter the at-will status of legislative branch employees. This process is designed to facilitate the will of the majority of the council. If there are specific provisions of a collective bargaining agreement that are contrary to this process, the collective bargaining agreement controls.
C. Recommendations to the council chair. The employment and administration committee may consider and make recommendations to the council chair regarding management organization structure and legislative branch customer service. The committee may monitor and make recommendations on the legislative branch budget.
D. Removal of recommendations from consent agenda. Upon the request of any member present before the council, any specific recommendation from the employment and administration committee shall be removed from the consent agenda and considered separately by the council prior to adoption of the employment and administration committee consent agenda. The council may then by a majority vote make whatever orderly disposition of the matter it deems appropriate.
E. Motions for censure. The employment and administration committee shall consider and make recommendations on motions for censure related to alleged violations of any antiharassment policy by a councilmember.
F. Personnel records as confidential. To the extent permitted by law, personnel records which would be exempt from public disclosure shall continue to be treated as confidential and records or portions thereof which are exempt shall be conspicuously identified as such and separated from nonexempt records.
VI. Motion 11122, Section G, as amended, and OR 2-040 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
The council designates the following councilmembers as chairs and vice-chairs of the standing committees created in this motion and the regional committees established in the King County Charter.
Committee of the whole:
Chair: ((Dow Constantine)) Bob Ferguson.
Vice-chair: Reagan Dunn.
((Capital budget committee:
Chair: Larry Phillips
Vice-chair: Jane Hague.))
Budget and fiscal management committee:
Chair: Larry Gossett.
Vice-chair: Jane Hague.
Employment and administration committee:
Chair: Jane Hague.
Vice-chair: ((Julia Patterson)) Kathy Lambert.
((General government and labor relations committee:
Chair: Larry Gossett.
Vice-chair: Pete von Reichbauer.
Growth management and natural resources committee:
Chair: Larry Gossett.
Vice-chair: Jane Hague.
Law, justice and human services committee:
Chair: Kathy Lambert.
Vice-chair: Bob Ferguson.
Operating budget, fiscal management and select issues committee:
Chair: Bob Ferguson.
Vice-chair: Kathy Lambert.
Transportation committee:
Chair: Dow Constantine.
Vice-chair: Pete von Reichbauer.
2009 budget review and adoption committee:
Chair: Larry Phillips.
Capital budget panel:
Chair: Jane Hague.
Vice-chair: Kathy Lambert.
Operating budget panel:
Chair: Bob Ferguson.
Vice-chair: Kathy Lambert.
Utilities and parks committee:
Chair: Jane Hague.
Vice-chair: Larry Gossett.))
Government accountability and oversight committee:
Chair: Reagan Dunn.
Vice-chair: Pete von Reichbauer.
Law, justice, health and human services committee:
Primary Chair: Kathy Lambert.
Secondary chair: Julia Patterson.
Physical environment committee:
Chair: Jane Hague.
Vice-chair: Larry Phillips.
Regional policy committee:
Chair: Pete von Reichbauer.
Regional transit committee:
Chair: ((Reagan Dunn)) Dow Constantine.
Regional water quality committee:
Chair: Larry Phillips.
VII. Motion 11122, Section H, as amended, and OR 2-050 are each hereby amended as follows:
The council designates the following councilmembers, in addition to the chairs and vice-chairs, as members of the standing committees created in this motion, the board of health and the regional committees established in the King County Charter.
((Board of health:
Reagan Dunn, Bob Ferguson, Larry Gossett, Kathy Lambert, Julia Patterson, Pete von Reichbauer.))
Budget and fiscal management committee:
Members: Reagan Dunn, Bob Ferguson, Kathy Lambert, Julia Patterson.
Committee of the whole:
Members: All councilmembers.
((Capital budget committee:
Members: Bob Ferguson, Julia Patterson, Pete von Reichbauer.))
Employment and administration committee:
Members: Dow Constantine, ((Kathy Lambert)) Larry Phillips.
((General government and labor relations committee:
Member: Larry Phillips.
Growth management and natural resources committee:
Members: Dow Constantine, Reagan Dunn, Larry Phillips.
Law, justice and human services committee:
Members: Reagan Dunn, Larry Gossett, Julia Patterson.
Operating budget, fiscal management and select issues committee:
Members: Dow Constantine, Reagan Dunn, Larry Phillips.
Transportation committee:
Members: Bob Ferguson, Jane Hague, Julia Patterson.))
Government accountability and oversight committee:
Members: Larry Gossett, Larry Phillips.
Law, justice, health and human services committee:
Members: Reagan Dunn, Bob Ferguson, Larry Gossett.
Physical environment committee:
Members: Dow Constantine, Larry Gossett, Pete von Reichbauer.
Regional policy committee:
Members: ((Reagan Dunn, Larry Gossett)) Bob Ferguson, Julia Patterson.
Regional transit committee:
Members: ((Bob Ferguson, Julia Patterson)) Jane Hague, Pete von Reichbauer.
Regional water quality committee:
Members: Reagan Dunn ((Jane Hague)), Kathy Lambert.
((2009 budget review and adoption committee:
Members: All councilmembers.
Utilities and parks committee:
Member: Larry Phillips.))
VIII. Motion 11122, Section F, as amended, and OR 2-120 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
Pending consideration by the employment and administration committee and action by the council on general staffing adjustments necessary as a result of committee reorganization, the council chair, in consultation with the employment and administration committee chair, the affected committee chairs, the policy staff director and the chief of staff, is hereby authorized to temporarily ((assign)) designate staff ((to any committee or legislation)) employment assignments in order to accomplish the work of the council. Such assignments shall give due consideration to existing areas of expertise, workload and priorities of committee chairs.
IX. Motion 10651, Section VI, as amended, and OR 3-010 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
A.1. All salaries for a councilmember's personal staff shall be paid out of the councilmember's district account.
2. The cost of benefits for personal staff shall be paid out of the central council account for up to four personal staff per district. The cost of benefits for each personal staff member above four for a councilmember shall be paid out of that councilmember's district account.
B.1. All expenditures for mail originating from an individual councilmember's office shall be paid for out of that councilmember's district account, except for mailings of ten items or less, which may be paid for out of the ((central council account)) council administration budget, and for postage that may be funded from the council administration budget subject to the approval of the chair of the council.
2. A councilmember shall not send any mass mailing that is deposited in the mail between the date the councilmember has filed a declaration and affidavit of candidacy with the records, elections and licensing services division and election day in any year in which an election is to be held to fill the councilmember's office. However, mailings may be made after the last day for filing for office if the councilmember has not filed for the office. For the purposes of this subsection B.2, "mass mailing" means any mailing of more than two hundred pieces that contains essentially identical messages and that is prepared or sent by or on behalf of an individual councilmember at council expense.
C. All expenditures for rent, office equipment and furniture, utilities and telephones to support a councilmember's outside district office shall be paid out of the councilmember's district account.
D. All travel expenditures incurred by councilmembers or personal staff shall be paid for out of the councilmember's district account((, except that councilmember travel relating to legislative advocacy or travel that is likely to provide financial benefits to the county may be paid out of the central council account, subject to)), or from the council administration budget with the approval of the chair of the council ((within the chair's discretion)).
E. All other expenditures for community meetings, training, publications, newspaper advertising, nonnewspaper advertising, cellular phones, cellular phone services or other related activities as determined by the councilmember shall be paid out of the councilmember's district account, or from the council administration budget with the approval of the chair of the council.
F. Whenever questions about expenditures may arise, a councilmember shall consult with the chief of staff, legal counsel or the council administrator as necessary in considering whether a specific expenditure is authorized by this rule OR 3-010.
X. Motion 10651, Section VII, as amended, and OR 3-030, are each hereby amended to read as follows:
The legislative branch shall be organized in accordance with the organization chart, Attachment A to ((this motion)) this motion.
XI. Motion 10651, Section VIII, as amended, and OR 3-040 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
A. For the purposes of this section, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
1. "Administrative staff" means the council chief of staff and staff who report directly or indirectly to the council chief of staff, with the exception of policy staff as defined below; and
2. "Policy staff" means the policy staff director and staff who reports directly or indirectly to the policy staff director, including staff assigned to a standing or regional committee or the board of health;
B. Ethical considerations.
In common with all county employees and officials, legislative branch employees and elected officials shall comply with the King County code of ethics, K.C.C. chapter 3.04. Employees shall familiarize themselves with the content of the code of ethics and in the event they identify any issue of possible concern they shall promptly seek advice from their supervisor, the council chief of staff, the policy staff director, the administrator or the legal counsel or shall seek an advisory opinion from the board of ethics.
C. Lobbying restriction on administrative and ((central)) policy staff and on the legal counsel to the council.
1. Administrative or policy staff or the legal counsel to the council shall not in any way seek to influence the passage or rejection of any matter under consideration by the council or any committee of the council, except where an employee within the scope of his or her duties is required to make a recommendation or is specifically asked by a councilmember to give a recommendation on the particular matter. This restriction does not apply to the chief of staff to the council pursuant to previously adopted council action.
2. With respect to contacts involving the news media related to the political or policy aspects of county business, administrative and policy staff and the legal counsel of the council are encouraged first to refer such matters to the committee chair or councilmember with jurisdiction over the subject matter.
D. Reporting relationships and assignments of policy staff.
1. Policy direction. Policy staff work for and are accessible to all councilmembers and the policy staff director. ((They)) Policy staff receive policy direction regarding issues within the committee's jurisdiction from the committee chair and members of the committee ((to which they are assigned or the policy staff director if not otherwise assigned. All policy staff are subject to the administrative supervision of the policy staff director)).
2. Policy staff assignments. Policy staff assignments should be made by the policy staff director, in collaboration with all issue managers and considering input from affected policy staff. Any ((shifts)) change in ((staff resources allocated)) assignment of issue managers to a committee may be made only with the approval of the committee chair or, in extraordinary circumstances, with the approval of the employment and administration committee.
((2. In order to ensure maximum effectiveness of the resources of policy staff and ensure that the Charter-based needs of the council are met,)) 3.a. The policy staff director is responsible for administrative supervision of all policy staff. ((a))Administrative supervision of policy staff includes: ((overall)) coordination of ((all)) policy staff work plans; management of policy staff; staff development and training; ((developing and implementing an ongoing equitable performance evaluation system that provides accountability of staff work product; developing, conducting and overseeing training and development programs, plans and processes for policy staff that link assessment of policy staff work with staff's professional development and growth)) timely implementation of the council's employee performance evaluation process for policy staff; and ensuring that administrative functions of the council support the policy analysis needs of policy staff.
b. One or more issue manager for each committee shall be designated by action of the council upon recommendation of the employment and administration committee. An issue manager is responsible for: identifying and coordinating committee work related to the issue manager's issue area; making recommendations to the policy staff director regarding assignment of policy staff to legislation or other work items; coordinating the work of policy staff who are assigned to work on legislation or items in the issue manager's issue area; participating in the issues management team; identifying work items in the issue manager's issue area that impact other issue areas or whose analysis would benefit from a collaboration among policy staff and communicating and coordinating with other issue managers, the policy staff director and policy staff on such work items; and conducting analysis, particularly on controversial or complex legislation and work items.
c. A committee coordinator for the committee of the whole and for each committee which has more than one issue manager shall be designated by action of the council upon recommendation of the employment and administration committee. A committee coordinator is responsible for coordinating the administrative work of the committee, including ensuring that committee agendas are prepared, approved by the committee chair, and distributed in a timely manner. Committee coordinators shall work closely with the issue managers and the committee chair.
4. Central policy staff are responsible for conducting analysis on legislation and work items to which they are assigned.
5. Work assignments: Policy staff assignments to issue managers and to other policy staff shall be made by the policy staff director, in collaboration with all issue managers and considering input from affected policy staff.
6. Issue management team: All issue managers and the policy staff director shall meet regularly through the year as an issue management team. The issue management team shall: collaborate and coordinate on policy staff work assignments, including the establishment of policy staff work teams where appropriate; monitor transmittal of legislation and identify emerging issues; assist in resolving referral, scheduling and other issues; assist in planning and conducting policy staff meetings; collaborate and coordinate on work items that impact more than one issue area or involve a significant number of policy staff.
((3. Lead policy staff function as the supervisor for the policy staff assigned to their respective committees.)) 7. Subject to the confidentiality rules in subsection F. of this section, policy staff are expected to keep the policy staff director and ((lead staff)) issue managers informed about their assignments and any issues that may arise. Consistent with the reporting relationship and assignment rules in subsections B. through E. of this section, policy staff are expected to inform issue managers and the policy staff director about the amount of time required to perform the work.
((4. Reports from staff shall make clear the sponsoring member or committee.))
E. ((Scope of work)) Policy work prioritization.
1. Policy staff's first priority is to support committee work responsibilities as established by the council and carried out under the direction of the committee chair. Their second priority is to support committee members' work requests. Their third priority is to support ((noncommittee members')) work requests related to ((the)) committee work ((of the committee)) from noncommittee members. Their fourth priority is to accomplish all other work requests from councilmembers. The committee chair shall make reasonable provisions for each priority.
2. The policy staff director shall coordinate with the issue managers to make reasonable provisions for each priority. If, in consultation with the issue managers, the policy staff director believes that a work request cannot be accomplished consistent with the above priorities, ((they should)) the policy staff director shall discuss the issue with ((the committee chair and with the policy staff director)) affected councilmembers, in consultation with the chief of staff and the council chair, subject to the limitations identified in subsection F. of this section concerning confidentiality.
F. Confidentiality.
1. Councilmembers may request an administrative staff or a policy staff member to perform work and keep the nature of the work confidential. Unless otherwise instructed by the councilmember requesting confidential work, administrative staff shall apprise the chief of staff as to the general nature of and time required to perform a confidential work request, and policy staff shall apprise the policy staff director as to the general nature of and time required to perform a confidential staff request.
2. ((Consistent with the reporting relationship and assignment rules in subsections B. through E. of this section, policy staff are expected to inform lead staff and the policy staff director about the amount of time required to perform the work.
3.)) If policy staff believe that a work request by a councilmember is contrary to adopted council rules or violates the staff's professional ethics, the staff may consult with the policy staff director and for this purpose may disclose to the director information necessary to identify the problem. The director shall also maintain confidentiality. If administrative staff believe that a work request by a councilmember is contrary to adopted council rules or violates that staff's professional ethics, the staff may consult with the chief of staff and for this purpose may disclose to the chief of staff information necessary to identify the problem. The chief of staff shall also maintain confidentiality.
G. Staff assistance. Policy staff should seek the assistance of the policy staff director to resolve any concerns regarding performance of their assigned duties. Administrative staff should seek the assistance of the chief of staff to resolve any concerns regarding performance of their assigned duties.