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Amending and supplementing the Rules of Council, Article I, Rule E.1.i., in order to eliminate the requirement that the Executive Committee of Council be established as a committee of the whole.
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Whereas, Allegheny County Council does, from time to time, amend the Rules of Council by which it operates; and
Whereas, when amended in October of 2020, the existing Rule of Council governing the Executive Committee was changed to require that the Executive Committee be established as a committee of the whole; and
Whereas, this arrangement is not legally required by any statute, regulation, or caselaw; and
Whereas, the establishment of the Executive Committee as a committee of the whole has proven to be unwieldy and inefficient; and
Whereas, it is accordingly the desire of Council to return to establishing the Executive Committee as having membership at the discretion of the President of Council, as it had been established in every incarnation of the Rules of Council prior to October of 2020;
The Council of the County of Allegheny therefore hereby moves as follows:
For the reasons delineated herein, the Rules of Council, Article I, Rule E.1.i., is hereby amended as follows:
E. Committees of Council
Committees are established to consider, investigate, or take action in regard to matters or subjects brought before Council and shall be organized and led by a Chair who shall be named by the President. The Committee Chair may convene a public forum to elicit public comment or input on issues under consideration by the committee. Committees shall present their findings to Council in either a formal or informal manner. The President is a non-voting ex officio member of each committee. Each committee shall be established to function during the term of each President. Unless re-established under the successive President, they shall cease to exist. Nothing shall prevent the President from dissolving a committee prior to the end of his or her term. No committee shall meet or be staffed unless called by the Chair of the committee according to these Rules.
1. Standing Committees - The President, upon election, shall establish the standing committees of Council and appoint the members and the chair of each committee. Standing committees shall meet Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays beginning no earlier than 4:00 p.m. When unable to attend a scheduled committee meeting, the chair of each committee may appoint a member of the committee to act as presiding officer. The number and scope of each committee shall be at the discretion of the President, except that the following shall always be established as standing committees:
i. Executive Committee - The Executive Committee shall make recommendations designed to improve and expedite the business and procedures of Council and its committees and to propose any amendments to the Rules deemed necessary. The Executive Committee shall also be charged with making recommendations and approving actions regarding personnel matters. The Executive Committee shall be a committee of the whole and a majority of seated members of the committee shall constitute a quorum. An affirmative vote by the majority of the seated members shall be required to pass any motion.
ii. Budget & Finance Committee - The Budget & Finance Committee shall have the responsibility of reviewing and making recommendations regarding taxation, appropriations, and the pursuit of other revenues used for County operations, specifically those pertaining to the County’s Capital Budget, Operating Budget, and Grants and Special Accounts Budget.
2. Special Committee - The President may appoint a special committee at his or her discretion. It shall address only items of business that relate to a single topic that is clearly defined when the committee is created and shall automatically be dissolved when the items of business are rejected or accepted by Council. Once established, a Special Committee shall follow the same rules as standing committees. A special committee may also be dissolved by vote of a majority of the seated members of Council.