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Motion of the Council of Allegheny County censuring Council Member Sue Means for conduct, specifically the introduction of a motion to approve the minutes of various committee meetings by the full Council at the December 15, 2015 regular meeting, contrary to the Rules of Council and past practice, and which directly lead to a breach of confidentiality regarding the unapproved minutes by Council staff.
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WHEREAS, Article II, Rule M.9. of Council’s Rules permits the censure of Council Members by motion; and
WHEREAS, on December 15, 2015, Council Member Sue Means introduced Bill No. 9330-15, entitled “[a] motion to approve the minutes referenced within this motion comprising the committee meetings of Allegheny County Council for the 2014-2015 Council term which have not appeared on an agenda during the current term for approval”; and
WHEREAS, under the terms of Bill No. 9330-15, the minutes from fifteen (15) separate committee meetings, involving ten of the Council’s standing and special committees, would have been approved by the full Council, rather than by the committees in question; and
WHEREAS, this action, if undertaken, would have been unprecedented, as the full Council has never in the past approved the minutes of any established committee; and
WHEREAS, motions to approve committee minutes are assigned bill numbers and approved by motion and vote of the committees in question within the course of their respective meetings; and
WHEREAS, approval of committee minutes by the full Council would therefore have removed a matter (the minute approval) from the jurisdictions of each of the committees in question, in contravention of Article II, Rule F.3. of the Rules of Council, which provides that “[w]henever legislation or other matter has been referred to a committee, the Chair shall have full power and control over such legislation or other matter, except that such committee shall not change the subject. A committee shall not consider a b...
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