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Clerk 1/29/2002
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A MOTION relating to the organization of the council; and amending Motion 11122, Section I, as amended, and OR 2-060, Motion 10651, Section III, as amended, and OR 1-020 and Motion 10651, Section V, as amended, and OR 2-030.
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WHEREAS, the reorganization for 2002 needs to be completed and there are some technical changes necessary to the council's organizational motions;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
I. Motion 11122, Section I, as amended, and OR2-060 are hereby amended to read as follows:
Meeting times. The council designates committee regular meeting times as follows:
Committee-of-the-whole:
Monday of each week at 9:30 a.m., or Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. if Monday is a state or county holiday.
Budget and fiscal management committee:
The first, second, fourth, and, if occurring, fifth Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m.
Employment committee:
The second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 8:30 a.m.
Growth management and unincorporated areas committee:
The first and third Tuesdays of each month at 9:30 a.m., unless the committee of the whole is meeting at that time because the preceding Monday was a state or county holiday.
Labor, technology and government operations committee:
The second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 9:30 a.m., unless the committee of the whole is meeting at that time because the preceding Monday was a state or county holiday.
Law, justice and human services committee:
First and third Thursdays of each month at 9:30 a.m.
Natural resources, parks and open space committee:
First and third Thursday of each month at 1:30 p.m.
Transportation committee:
The second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 1:00 p.m.
Utilities committee:
The second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 1:30 p.m., unless the council is meeting at that time because the preceding Monday was a state or county holiday.
Regional policy committee:
((The meeting time for the regional policy committee is yet to be determined. All regular meetings of the regional policy committee are cancelled until the council adopts regular committee meeting times for this committee.)) The first Wednesday of each month at 3:00 p.m.
Regional transit committee:
((The meeting time for the regional transit committee is yet to be determined. All regular meetings of the regional transit committee are cancelled until the council adopts regular committee meeting times for this committee.)) The third Wednesday of each month at 3:00 p.m.
((The meeting time for the regional water quality committee is yet to be determined. All regular meetings of the regional water quality committee are cancelled until the council adopts regular committee meeting times for this committee.)) The second Wednesday of each month at 3:00 p.m.
II. Motion 10651, Section III, as amended, and OR 1-020 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
Powers and duties of the chair.
A. The chair shall appoint the membership to standing 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-chair and a member designated by the chair. 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 or the chair's staff designee. 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 committee.
III. Motion 10651, Section V, as amended, and OR 2-030 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
Employment committee.
A. Membership requirements - duties. The employment committee shall consist of four members and two alternates. Two members and one alternate shall be from the majority party and two members and one alternate shall be from the minority party. The only time an alternate may vote is when a regular member of the same party is absent. If a regular member of the employment committee cannot attend an employment committee meeting, an alternate member may be appointed. The chair of the council shall appoint the alternate for an absent member from the majority party. The minority caucus shall appoint the alternate for an absent member from the minority party. An appointment of an alternate must be in writing and filed with the clerk of the council and the chair of the employment committee. Alternate employment committee members may be designated for either a specific meeting or for any meeting at which an absence might occur in the future.
The vice-chair of the council shall chair the committee.
B. Process.
1. Personnel decisions. The employment committee shall make recommendations to the full council concerning decisions for legislative branch employees, except for councilmembers' personal staff. Personnel decisions include decisions to hire, to fill vacancies, to make staffing adjustments, to assign or reassign staff, 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.2 of this section. Employment committee recommendations on personnel decisions shall be contained in a written recommendation report that shall, upon signature of ((three)) two committee members, be sent to the full council. The council shall consider the recommendation reports from the committee on an employment committee consent agenda. However, in the event the employment committee forwards two recommendations to the council on the same matter, the two recommendations shall be considered separately from the consent agenda.
2. Terminations and disciplinary decisions. The employment committee makes decisions on discipline and termination, including layoffs. If ((four)) 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. ((However, a))An employee who has been either suspended without pay of two weeks or more, or terminated may appeal the decision of the employment committee to the full council. The appeal must be filed with 10 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. If only ((three)) two members vote to recommend a termination or disciplinary action, the recommendation should be forwarded to the full council for consideration in the manner set forth in subsection B.1 of this section.
3. 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.
C. Removal of recommendations from consent agenda. Upon the request of any member present before the full council, any specific recommendation from the employment committee shall be removed from the consent agenda and considered separately by the council prior to adoption of the employment consent agenda. The council may then by a majority vote make whatever orderly disposition of the matter it deems appropriate.
D. Motions for censure. The employment committee shall consider and make recommendations on motions for censure related to alleged violations of any antiharassment policy by a councilmember.
E. 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.
IV. In accordance with Motion 10651, Section VII, and OR 3-030, the position description for the chief of staff, Attachment A to this motion, is adopted.