Item 1B - 4-11-16 Roundtable MinutesCITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH
CITY COMMISSION ROUNDTABLE MEETING
Aprilll, 2016-5:30PM
MINUTES
IN ATTENDANCE:
Mayor Mitchell E. Reeves
Commissioner Mitchell R. Harding
Commissioner Jimmy Hill
Commissioner John Stinson
Commissioner M. Blythe Waters (arrived at 5:35)
Call to order
City Manager Nelson VanLiere
City Clerk Donna L. Bartle
Recording Secretary N arrey E. Bailey
AGENDA ITEM #lB
APRIL 25, 2016
Mayor Reeves called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. He explained the procedures for a roundtable
meeting stating they would adjourn no later than 6:15p.m. He explained the meeting was held to discuss
ways to efficiently manage the City Attorney budget and her attendance at meetings, Commission agendas
and meetings. He further explained the handouts distributed by the City Clerk.
Discussion ensued.
Commissioner Stinson stated there are the five of them, the City Manager and the City Clerk who need
access to the City Attorney. He stated he doesn't know how they go about managing that. Mayor Reeves
stated what concerns him is that they have to make sure the City Attorney understands she works for the
Commission and that when they need something they ask direct questions. He doesn't believe any City
Attorney for the City has ever reviewed everything that went through the City, file by file. He stated it is
the City Manager's responsibility to make sure that is not being done.
Mayor Reeves also stated they need to set fair agendas for the meetings and if something comes up that
they believe will take two hours, then don't add three or four other things to the agenda that will add
another four hours. They have to control it. He stated he believes they make better judgements when they
are not rushed.
Commissioner Hill stated they have a new attorney and two significant processes that did not exist prior.
He believes that for a certain period of time they will probably need the City Attorney pretty close because
both ends of the meetings will have public comments and an opportunity for a need for the City Attorney.
He stated if they have a legal matter that is specifically about Codes or Ordinances in the City, they might
be able to get an answer internally and may not need the attorney.
Commissioner Waters stated she thought she heard the Mayor reference that something was suggested
about dismissing the City Attorney from meetings early. Commissioner Hill clarified that before she had
arrived the Mayor had mentioned that some cities don't require that the City Attorney attend all meetings
all the way through. Mayor Reeves stated he prefers to not do that because the Attorney would get an
overall feel of it, but once the hours get down they can control it. Commissioner Waters agr~ed there are
some things on the agenda that the City Attorney doesn't need to be present for, i.e. the Consent Agenda,
but the problem is the discussions which oftentimes come later in the meeting are what she needs to be
there for. She stated she doesn't know how you would set a time because Courtesy of the Floor varies, but
the latter portion of the meeting is when they generally need her here.
Mayor Reeves stated one of the discussions he has had with the City Manager is controlling the agenda
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AGENDA ITEM #lB
APRIL 25, 2016
and he has encouraged him to always, for every agenda, reach out to the Commissioners to assure they
understand all the facts on the agenda. He stated the City Manager can't wait for a call from the
Commission. He stated when the Commission comes to the meetings and knows the facts, then they
should be prepared to take some type of action. Discussion ensued.
Further discussion ensued regarding emails and the elected officials email.
Commissioner Stinson asked the City Manager how much time he allocated per month for the City
Attorney to attend meetings. City Manager Van Liere stated the average time spent in all meetings
approximated about $4500 of her time at $250/hr. and the rest was for other things.
Commissioner Stinson stated they are letting the data load dictate the amount of time they spend in
meetings instead of setting an amount of time and saying they are going to cover the most important topics
and if there is any time left over they cover the others or they get deferred to the next meeting. He stated
one way to manage the legal fees just for the Commission meetings is if they say they have 8 hours/month
for Commission meetings and they get to 10:30 in the evening, they defer the meeting to the next time
around. Mayor Reeves asked who is in charge of the agenda, Mayor, City Manager or all of the
Commission. He stated sometimes there are items put on the agenda that could wait until the next
meeting.
Commissioner Stinson mentioned the agenda software programs that have been suggested.
Commissioner Waters stated the agenda belongs to the Commission but the Mayor controls how the
meeting progresses, therefore if they set a time limit he can push something to the end of the meeting or
push it to the next meeting. Discussion ensued. Commissioner Hill stated he doesn't see any massive
changes that are necessary to the agenda. He stated they are running long meetings because they are
tackling big issues. Mayor Reeves asked him if he agreed the meetings could be run better if the
Commissioners would do their homework and be prepared and almost know the answers to their
questions. Commissioner Hill stated yes, except he views one piece of this differently than anyone else.
He stated he often asks questions purely to get the answer publicly announced. He stated disclosure to
him is everything. Further discussion ensued. Commissioner Waters stated she likes the idea of setting
the agenda time. Commissioner Stinson stated if they don't have a set schedule it can get out of their
grasp.
Commissioner Stinson suggested the City Manager could give a report on the business expenses for legal
fees at each meeting.
Mayor Reeves stated they are going to have to depend on the City Manager in helping to set the agenda.
He stated he talks to the Commissioners, the City Attorney and staff and if there are things on the agenda
he believes are going to take a long time, he needs to make those tough decision to not put them on the
agenda and move it to the next agenda.
Mayor Reeves asked if the Commission would like to have roundtables on a quarterly basis. At the
request of Commissioner Hill, he explained to the audience the purpose of the roundtable. He also
explained why the recent Town Hall meeting was cancelled.
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Adjournment
AGENDA ITEM #lB
APRIL 25,2016
There being no further discussion, Mayor Reeves declared the meeting adjourned at 6:15p.m.
ATTEST:
Donna L. Bartle, CMC
City Clerk
Mitchell E. Reeves
Mayor/Presiding Officer
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