3.2.1.050 Findings

The Council hereby finds and declares that:

(a) The Agreement establishes a separation of government powers between the Council, which is vested with law-making and budgeting powers, and the Governor and Departments, which are vested with executive powers to carry-out and administer the laws and approved budgets; and,

(b) The Executive branch of the government includes all the Departments and day-to-day functions of the government, and the Departments and Executive branch personnel maintain critical data and information on the Pueblo and the operations of government including expenditures; and,

(c) In exercising its law-making and budgeting powers, it is important that the Council has the necessary information and data, including documents and testimony, to draft laws and approve budgets in a well-informed manner so that the laws address critical issues within the Pueblo and to protect government funds and resources; and,

(d) The Council finds it in the best interests of the government of the Pueblo to promote the free-flow of information and ideas, including open communication between the branches of government; and,

(e) The Council recognizes that requests for information, documentation, and testimony will require staff time from Executive branch personnel to address, however, the Council considers the task of keeping the elected officials of the Council properly informed of the operations of the government to be included in the scope of work of all employees of the Executive branch and a necessary component of drafting and approving laws and budgets in the best interests of the Pueblo; and,

(f) The Council has identified the need to clarify the process to request and obtain information, documentation, and testimony from Executive branch Departments and personnel, which is necessary to assist with the development of new and amended laws and budgets, while at the same time protecting any confidential information that the Pueblo may maintain in the course of its governmental operations.