Commission raises concerns about proposed city council resolution on commission independence

Commissioners discussed a city council resolution intended to affirm the Davenport City Civil Rights Commission's independence after Director Lacey reported that revised language on the council's agenda could be read to place the commission under the authority of the city administrator.

Lacey said a resolution introduced earlier had been deleted from a council agenda for rewording; a revised version later appeared on the council's July agenda with language Lacey and several commissioners said could be used to delay or limit the commission's independent decision making. Lacey said she sent suggested alternative language to Aldermen Kelly and Burkholder and believed the city attorney may have altered the version now on the council consent agenda.

"The revised resolution kind of introduces language that's positioning the commission's authority underneath the city administrator's authority," Lacey said, adding that some provisions were vague and could be 'weaponized' to delay lawful commission actions. Commissioners said they had not been consulted on the revised language and asked Lacey to press council members to replace the consent-agenda item with the version that reflects the commission's statutory independence.

Commissioners encouraged Lacey to contact Aldermen Kelly and Burkholder and to ask that the item be removed from consent or that an amended version be substituted so the commission can be sure the resolution reflects state law and the municipal ordinance governing the commission.