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Council Personnel Committee, Mayor Buchan asked if anyone from the audience would like to speak to this issue. Joe Steinfeld, Main Street merchant, criticized the investigation and expending City funds in this endeavor. Mr. Steinfeld stated the investigation stemmed from anonymous allegations, and was marred by misstatements and illegalities. Mr. Steinfeld stated that if the City Attorney was not competent to handle the investigation and the Council had to hire someone to do his work for him, then the Council should get rid of him. Mr. Steinfeld urged Council to hold public hearings on this issue. Councilman Greenalch, member of the Council Personnel Committee along with Vice Mayor Claire, advised that he was asking "for permission to engage outside counsel to assist the Personnel Committee in completing the investigation which was initiated by unanimous vote of the Council Members voting on the issue. The Personnel Committee decided at the beginning of its deliberations that at an appropriate time the Council would be asked for authorization to seek outside counsel. The Committee believes such outside counsel is necessary. Further concern that the intense personal and unfounded attacks on City Attorney Schricker adds a secondary reason to requesting outside counsel. This investigation is being conducted because of serious charges and counter charges that were leveled by members of the Council. If either or both of our colleagues had elected to back away from his or her position perhaps a formal investigation would not have been necessary. Neither elected to do so. Consequently to ascertain the facts I recommended a formal investigation and four of my colleagues unanimously agreed with that recommendation. I am pleased to inform you that the investigation is going well and that there is only one more important piece of information which must be gathered. Once this information is in hand, the personnel committee, if we are authorized to retain outside counsel, we'll be meeting with Mr. Jackson to formulate the findings from the investigation. It is our hope to have this process completed no later than the end of February. I urge your support for the recommendation. We are all aware, and once again this evening, we have heard serious allegations of abuse of process, persons in violation of state statutes in the conduct of our investigation that have been leveled against this process by at least one citizen. I have checked the validity of these charges with competent legal counsel and am pleased to inform you that the charges are groundless. Unlike the person making the charges and at least one of our colleagues, I have complete confidence in Mr. Schricker and his abilities to advise me personally and the members of the Council on all matters of City business. I think the colleague who was questioning his competencies would be better served if she were to establish her independence and begin to pursue what is in the best interest of the citizen~ of Redwood City." Councilwoman Steinfeld stated her independence is very well established and she has a long list of municipal attorneys with whom she has conferred for a period of months beginning with her research into rent control. Councilwoman Steinfeld stated "this particular issue questioning whether or not there was bias, hostility, however you would like to say it, the issue came up when I was accused, in the Council hearing on October 21st in a memo which was later restated by our City Attorney, of accusing a fellow Regular Meeting Minutes MINUTE BOOK NO. 52 January 17, 1994 Page 4 Page No. 96