Adoption of Resolution Calling for the Holding of a Consolidated Municipal Election in the City of Alameda on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, for the Submission of a Proposed Charter Amendment to Clarify the Prohibition Against Members of the Council Interfering with Duties of the City Manager and Other Executive City Officials, Authorize the City Attorney to Prosecute State Law Misdemeanors, and Amend Outdated Provisions including Utilizing Gender Neutral Language, and Authorizing City Councilmembers to File Written Arguments For or Against the Measure.  (City Attorney/City Clerk)
Authorize the city attorney to prosecute stay LA State law misdemeanors and amend outdated provisions, including utilizing gender neutral language in authorizing city council members to file written arguments for and against the measure. Thank you. And this item is who's presenting on this one? Is that the city attorney? The city clerk. And I would be very pleased to present this item. I want to thank the city clerk for working on this item together. I think the presentation will be extremely short. The Council gave us direction at its last meeting to bring back ballot measure language to allow for an omnibus charter amendment that deals with a number of areas in the city charter, including amendments to Section 73 relating to Council interference, amendments to Section eight to with respect to the city attorney's offices, authority to prosecute state misdemeanors and amendments, other clean up amendments, and various other provisions in the city charter that creates gender neutrality. It clarifies certain provisions to travel, and it clarifies certain provisions for appointments, mostly clean up provisions that are outlined in the staff report. We've got the council section. We have prepared the ballot question and it is before you for your consideration. And I want to turn over the staff report to the city clerk for her additional comments. Yes, Madam Clerk. Thank you. So basically, as he even said, this is the measure that does those three different things. And tonight, if you choose to adopt this resolution, you'll be approving the ballot question that's limited to 75 words. And then you'll also do the same thing about deciding about the. Ballot arguments authors. And that's. It was short and sweet. Thank you. Um, and do we have a comment on this item? We do not. Okay. Um, so do have clarifying questions before we start our discussion. Any clarifying questions. Okay. So, Councilmember Vela, I'd like to move approval. Okay. I have a motion to have a second. I see the vice mayor stand up. I will second the motion. All right. It's been moved and seconded. Any discussion? I'd like to just make one quick comment, please. We had a we had at least one speaker who over the course of a number of our meetings, as I said, to consider whether to bifurcate the prosecutor part of this. I just wanted to indicate that after the meeting with the attorney to talk about that issue and whatnot, I believe that that is unnecessary, as I believe this simply just gives the city the power to do work it is already doing and is already authorized to do. It just needs to ask the district attorney for further discussion and that the Council still retains the power to decide through the budget, etc., whether or not the city engages in this prosecutorial work. And I don't believe I believe it just is a little bit more local control on something that we that I think is important. Okay. Thank you for that. The thoughts anyone else have there? Um, having seen that, I wanted to add Councilmember de SAC. I just, you know, I think several weeks ago I had expressed I just wish that the seven desk three had the provisions that I thought, obviously, you know, I don't know, I mean, maybe, um, but so I want to think about this further. So for tonight, I'll, I'll abstain on this item. Okay. Any further discussion? Council over. You know, I, I also, um, wrestled with the comments by one of the members of our public on this. And, but seeing that the city attorney shall not commence any action without permission of the council, uh, I believe if we think there is any issues with that, then we can have a discussion as a council and, you know, instruct that certain types of, of violations are not prosecuted. So I'm more comfortable than I was before. So. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Any further comments? All right, madam, quickly, we have a roll call vote this councilmember desired. We have seen knocks light. Hi, Odie. Hi, Bella. I may or as the Ashcroft. High. That. Carries 41. And then you want to talk about. The authors of the argument. Yes. Um. Um, I, um. I would be happy to propose, um, if the vice mayor is agreeable, that as long as we're drafting arguments, I honestly think this one's pretty straightforward that we just draft this as well. My colleagues are in support of that. I'm fine with that. Okay. Councilor Collins. That's okay. I've. I'm fine with that. All right. Um. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Can we get a motion and we'll vote and we'll move on to the next item? I'll move that. The vice mayor and the mayor. Are the subcommittee moving with option three on the arguments for. Okay. And we have a motion and it's submitted by Councilmember Vela, seconded by Councilmember Ody. Any further discussion? Hearing. Then we have a roll call vote, please. Councilmember Diesel. All right. Next flight. Hi, Odie. I. I may or as he Ashcraft. High that carries by five eyes. All right. Thank you. More. Good work, everyone. So with that, we we will adjourn on item six B and we will move quickly to item six C. It's yeah, it's it's 1032. Yeah. 1030 it's 1031. So we're going to just keep a good pace.