Bellevue's city attorney said she has been working on researching and amending the ordinances since July, when she says someone leaked information from a closed meeting.

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ANOTHER COUNTRY. ROB: THE HUSKERS LAY OUT THEIR PLANS FOR THEIR TRIP ACROSS THE POND ANNOUNCER: LIVE FROM 7 BURLINGTON STATION. THIS IS OMAHA’S NEWS LEADER, KETV NEWSWATCH 7 AT 6:00. ROB: WE BEGIN TONIGHT IN BELLEVUE, THE CITY CONSIDERS A PLAN TO REMOVE ELECTED OFFICIALS WITHOUT A RECALL. GOOD EVENING. I’M ROB MCCARTNEY. JULIE: I’M JULIE CORNELL. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD VOTE TO REMOVE THEIR OWN COLLEAGUES, OR EVEN THE MAYOR. ROB: THE REASON FOR TH PROPOSAL DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ASK. KETV NEWSWATCH 7’S CHINH DOAN IS LIVE WITH TONIGHT’S BIG STORY. CHINH: THE COUNCIL MEETING JUST STARTED CHANGING TH RUL FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS SINCE JULY, WHEN SHE SAYS SOMEONE LEAKED INFORMATION FROM A CLOSED MEETING. >> I WAS ASKED WHAT CAN WE DO IF PEOPLE AREN’T KEEPING CLOSED SESSIONS CONFIDENTIAL, IS THERE A NEXT STE AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE STATUES AND REVIEW THE ORDINANCE AND THE ANSWER WAS THERE’S NOT A LOT WE CAN DO UNFORTUNATELY. CHINH: ROBBINS SAYS THE CHANGES WOULD BE SIMILAR TO ORDINANCES IN FREMONT AND GRAND ISLAND. ANYONE WHO THINKS THE MAYOR OR COUNCIL MEMBER VIOLATED MISCONDUCT POLICY COULD FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE CLERK’S OFFICE. THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR WOULD THEN DECIDE WHETHER TO FOLLOW UP WITH A WARNING AT A COUNCIL MEETING, A HEARING, OR EVEN A COUNCIL VOTE TO REMOVE THAT PERSON FROM OFFICE >> > -- >> IT’S TOO MUCH POWER. THERE’S RECALL PROCESS IN PLACE. THE VOTERS HAVE TO MAINTAIN THEIR VOICE AND THEIR VOTE. THEY HAVE TO BE THE ONES TO DECIDE WHO’S GOING TO REPRESE THEM. CHINH: PAT SHANNON IS THE ONLY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO RETURNED OUR CALLS. HE SAYS HE WON’T SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL. >> THIS WILL PERMANENTLY ALTER THE BALANCE OF POWER AND PREVENT THE COUNCIL FROM BEING ABLE TO DO ITS JOB. CHINH: MAYOR RUSTY HIKE SAYS THE CHANGES DON’T TARGET ANYONE, HE SAYS IT’S ABOUT MAKING SURE ELECTED OFFICIALS KNOW WHAT’ EXPECTED OF THEM. >> IT’S NOT ANYTHING ABOUT TAKING POWER AWAY. IT’S JUST TRYING TO ENFORCE PEOPLE TO ACT THE RIGHT WAY IN PUBLIC JULIE: CHINH DOAN REPORTIN

Advertisement Proposal would allow Bellevue City Council to remove elected officials without recall Bellevue's city attorney said she has been working on researching and amending the ordinances since July, when she says someone leaked information from a closed meeting. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The City of Bellevue is proposing changes to its ordinances that would allow the removal of elected officials without a recall.At Tuesday’s city council meeting, the city will introduce proposed amendments to current ordinance no. 3977 and introduce new ordinance no. 3978, all related to how the mayor and council members should conduct in council meetings and city business.Bellevue city attorney Bree Robbins told KETV NewsWatch 7 she has been working on researching and amending the ordinances since July, when she says someone leaked information from a closed meeting.“I was asked, ‘What can we do if people aren't keeping closed sessions confidential? Is there a next step?’” Robbins explained. “And I had the opportunity to review the statutes and review the ordinance and the answer was, ‘There's not a lot we can do unfortunately.’”Robbins said the changes would be similar to ordinances in Fremont and Grand island.If the ordinances take effect, anyone who thinks the mayor or a council member violated a misconduct policy, as outlined in the proposed changes, could file a complaint with the city clerk's office.The city administrator would, then, decide whether to follow up with a warning at a council meeting, a public or closed hearing (depending on whether there is sensitive information) or even a council vote to remove that person from office.“It's too much power,” said Pat Shannon, at-large council member. “There's a recall process in place. The voters have to maintain their voice and their vote. They have to be the ones to decide who's going to represent them.”Shannon was the only council member who returned KETV NewsWatch 7’s calls. He said he won't support the proposal.“This will permanently alter the balance of power and prevent the council from being able to do its job,” said Shannon.Mayor Rusty Hike told KETV NewsWatch 7 the changes don't target anyone. He said it's about making sure elected officials know what's expected of them.“It's not anything about taking power away,” said Hike. “It's just trying to enforce people to act the right way in public.”After this first reading is the chance for the public to give feedback during the second reading on Nov. 5.City council will vote after the third reading. If passed, the ordinances could take effect as soon as possible.