I have a feeling there was some changes to this EO during the Huether administration, but it is NOT appearing that way. It looks like Munson was the last mayor to touch it (until the shredding event, notice the re-numbering as MMM walked out the door.)
This has been a controversial EO for several councilors, it irritates them that as individual elected officials (like the mayor) they can’t directly call or email a QUESTION (not an order or demand, that SHOULD go thru the mayor’s office).
For example if councilor Barranco had a question about what will be constructed next at the water treatment plant, there is ABSOLUTELY no reason to go thru the mayor’s office. Barranco should be able to call the Public Works Director and ask him, “Hey, Mark, what is the next building to be constructed at the water treatment facility?” This is NOT confidential or sensitive material but it frustrates councilors that they can’t just ask the questions directly.
I have told several councilors over the years to CHALLENGE the EO. As I understand it, the EOs are for HIRED employees not ELECTED employees and councilors don’t have to follow the mayor’s rules.
You can certainly say ‘thanks for the suggestion’ but you don’t have to follow it.
Unfortunately, the employees HAVE to follow the EO so they simply don’t respond or they tattle-tale on the councilor asking the question. Double edge sword.
Scott, you know the charter as well as I do, you understand Section 2.05 (from memory…) restricts the City Council to interfering with the Departments, Offices, Agencies, Non-Profit Partners. This is done, to separate our two branches of government – Mayor v City Council. David Barranco would have to go through the Mayor’s office to request information from Public Works Department. And cause Mark Cotter is part of the administration, he is under the Mayor’s supervision. Their only other option is to invoke Section 2.09 to call forth a Public Hearing, where the City Council can subpoena any such public official, officer, agent, or corporate partner to appear before the city council, thus conducting an investigation to get the answers they so seek to obtain. But remember, the Mayor is also a member of the City Council, acting as the mediator in this process.
Notice the city never promotes or talks about their city app anymore it’s like they don’t want us to use it why is that hmm
“YES!!!”…. “Mike Z. is back!”….. #MikeWeHardlyKnewYe …… ( …. “For a while there, I thought maybe he had been drafted into the ‘State Militia’ by Noem….. “….. 🙁 )
Apparently, there’s no freedom of speech at city hall. There’s so many people and titles, how do they know who? Maybe they know because it’s everybody suspicious. We’re all Joe Floyd. Next will be armed guards and pat downs. It’s OK because you can use online. Oh! The city web site is down. We want to pay bribes for everything but you gotta give us a way that works.