The Morning Report
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A set of reforms proposed by San Diego City Councilwoman Donna Frye and Councilman Carl DeMaio has been referred back to a council committee.
The first changes recommended by the council’s Rules, Open Government and Intergovernmental Relations Committee will go to the council for a vote in March.
DeMaio and Frye had initially hoped to speed up a vote on what they viewed as the least controversial proposed changes: evening meetings once a month, a monthly question-and-answer session with the mayor, and enhanced oversight of organizations such as the Centre City Development Corp. and the Southeastern Economic Development Corp.
Those reforms would include the ability for the council to hire and fire the heads of the redevelopment agencies and appearances by the chief executive of the San Diego City Employees’ Retirement System at budget deliberations.
But other council members said they wanted a chance to weigh in on the proposals. Councilman Todd Gloria said “a lot of these are very sensible reforms that are necessary.”
But Gloria said he felt “like I’ve been invited to the table, but the table’s already been set.”
“Let’s give it a full vetting to allow Ms. Emerald, Ms. Lightner and myself to put our stamp on this as well,” Gloria said.
The council did not discuss in detail other proposals, such as allowing council members greater leeway to put items on the council agenda.