Goodness: City councilor proposes city boards post minutes on this InterWeb thing

Does anyone have a list of city councilor wannabees, either those who have already announced their intentions to run or those expected to run?

Sent-From: Mary.Grissom at cityofboston.gov
Councilor Yoon asked me to reach out to invite you to weigh in at a City
Council next
Tuesday Dec 16th at
4:30pm.

The purpose of the hearing is to explore 2 proposals of Councilor Yoon's
1)
would require the online posting of members, length and origins of appointment, minutes and meeting schedules of all boards and commissions in Boston (ie liquor licensing, Zoning board of appeals, BRA, library etc...there are dozens) and

2)
a proposal that would require the City Council to improve its meeting minutes (ie, make them complete and understandable to the public) and post them online.

Both proposals are attached, we would welcome your testimony at Tuesday's hearing. Please let me know if you will be able to attend.

Best,
Mary Grissom, Chief of Staff

City Councilor At-Large Sam Yoon
Boston City Hall, 5th Floor
Boston MA 02201
Phone 617 635-4217 Fax 617 635-4203

Offered by COUNCILLOR SAM YOON

CITY OF BOSTON
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_______________

IN THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND EIGHT
_______________

AN ORDINANCE
REGULATING THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

WHEREAS, The City of Boston currently provides, via the City Clerk, City Council meeting minutes and these records are available to the public on the internet; and,

WHEREAS, The Open Meeting Law and Public Records Law is meant to cultivate public dialogue on governmental action and ensures this by imposing minimal standards for meeting minute content; and,

WHEREAS, The City already meets these record standards; however, we should go beyond the minimum standards and make our City Council minutes not only publicly available, but more understandable; and,

WHEREAS, Increasing the readability of our Council meeting minutes will foster public understanding and involvement in local government; NOW, THEREFORE

Be it ordained by the City Council of Boston, as follows that the City of Boston Code be amended by adding the following:-

Section 1.
CBC Chapter II is hereby amended by appending the following to 2-10.1 after the first paragraph:-

(a) In addition to keeping records of City Council meetings pursuant to M.G.L. c. 39, s. 23B, M.G.L. c. 66, s. 5A, and 950 CMR 32.00, the City Clerk shall make comprehensible City Council minutes.

For purposes of this subsection only "comprehensible City Council minutes" means a record of a City Council meeting translated from parliamentary procedure wording into plain language, including a brief summary of each topic discussed and/or all votes or formal decisions made during the meeting.

Under no circumstances shall the comprehensible City Council minutes include the substance of debates by and among the members of the City Council pursuant to chapter 447 of the Acts of 1947.

The City Clerk shall make the comprehensible City Council minutes electronically accessible on the City's website no later than two weeks after the meeting in question.

Section 2.
The provisions of these sections will become effective sixty (60) days after passage.

Offered by COUNCILLOR SAM YOON

CITY OF BOSTON
IN CITY COUNCIL

RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF PUBLICLY POSTING CITY COMMISSION/BOARD MEMBERS, AGENDAS, MINUTES AND SCHEDULES ON THE CITY WEBSITE

WHEREAS, In an effort to inform the citizens of Boston and the public at-large of the purpose, function and operation of each City Commission and Board, it is necessary to regularly update information made available on the Boston City Website. Openness in the democratic process and a clear understanding of the issues affecting the city and its residents is not simply a priority, but rather a right and an expectation of the residents of Boston; and,

WHEREAS, With over thirty (30) Commissions and Boards representing critical issues across the city, citizens must have access to accurate information regarding these meetings and subsequent action taken. Knowledge of who the appointed Commission and Board Members are, who appointed them and the limits of their terms promotes accountability in the governance process.

WHEREAS, Furthermore, as the Open Meeting Law applies to all governing bodies, including Commissions and Boards (M.G.L. c. 39, s. 23A), the difficulty in accessing clear and convenient meeting information over the Internet remains particularly troubling. Posting agendas, minutes and schedules of meetings will allow members of the public to attend meetings, make public comment and track the progress of the committee; THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED, That an on-line repository of information pertaining to all City Commissions and Boards include membership (including term limits and who made the appointment), meeting schedule, agenda, minutes, and committee structure be created immediately in an unobtrusive, clear, concise format found on the City of Boston Website.

Filed on: December 9, 2008

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SICUT PATRIBUS SIT DEUS NOBIS.
God Be with Us as He Was with Our Fathers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Boston_city_seal.png

CIVITATIS REGIMINE DONATA A.D. 1822
City Status Granted by the Authority of the State
in the Year of Our Lord 1822

BOSTONIA. CONDITA A.D. 1630
Boston, Founded in the Year of Our Lord 1630