Consent 1.A.2.
Regular City Council Meeting
- Meeting Date:
- 07/13/2020
- TITLE
- Board Member Removal
- PRESENTED BY:
- Chris Kukulski
- Department:
- City Hall Administration
- Division:
- Administration
RECOMMENDATION
Mayor Cole recommends that Clark Johnson be removed immediately from the Parks, Recreation & Cemetery Board (PRPL Board) pursuant to Sec. 2-503.2, BMCC.
BACKGROUND (Consistency with Adopted Plans and Policies, if applicable)
At the regular October 10, 2018 meeting of the PRPL Board the board voted to censure board member Clark Johnson based on a pattern of behavior at board meetings and in various communications that a majority of the board deemed to be disrespectful, rude and personally insulting to members of the board. When those behaviors did not mitigate but instead escalated in the view of board, the board at its regular meeting held on November 14, 2018 unanimously voted to recommend to the City Council that Mr. Johnson be removed from the board. I attended several PRPL Board meetings throughout 2019 and had determined that Mr. Johnson had corrected his behavior.
Unfortunately I was incorrect, during the weekend of June 20th, Mr. Johnson publicly criticized another PRPL board member in a manner that was, by any reasonable measure, intemperate, personal and mean-spirited. The tone and substance of Mr. Johnson's personal attack, regardless of whether grounds existed for legitimate disagreement, was intended to cause emotional injury and was inconsistent with the standard of behavior expected of members of the city's advisory boards, commissions and committees. It is apparent that Mr. Johnson's continued presence on the PRRL board would impair the work of the board.
City Code Section 2-509 provides that the mayor and city council "have the authority to direct, supervise and oversee the activities of any board, commission or committee." According to Section 2-503.2, "Members of advisory boards, commissions and committees serve at the discretion of the mayor and city council. Upon two-thirds (2/3) vote of the mayor and city council, any or all members of an advisory board, commission or committee may be removed."
Unfortunately I was incorrect, during the weekend of June 20th, Mr. Johnson publicly criticized another PRPL board member in a manner that was, by any reasonable measure, intemperate, personal and mean-spirited. The tone and substance of Mr. Johnson's personal attack, regardless of whether grounds existed for legitimate disagreement, was intended to cause emotional injury and was inconsistent with the standard of behavior expected of members of the city's advisory boards, commissions and committees. It is apparent that Mr. Johnson's continued presence on the PRRL board would impair the work of the board.
City Code Section 2-509 provides that the mayor and city council "have the authority to direct, supervise and oversee the activities of any board, commission or committee." According to Section 2-503.2, "Members of advisory boards, commissions and committees serve at the discretion of the mayor and city council. Upon two-thirds (2/3) vote of the mayor and city council, any or all members of an advisory board, commission or committee may be removed."
ALTERNATIVES
City Council may:
- Approve the removal of Clark Johnson from the Parks, Recreation & Cemetery Board or
- Disapprove the removal of Clark Johnson from the Parks, Recreation & Cemetery Board
FISCAL EFFECTS
The proposed action has no financial impact.