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Rules committee clears ad sheet allowing city officials to accept event gifts during Super Bowl period; member seeks standalone review
Summary
The Rules and Open Government Committee voted 5–0 to place an ad sheet authorizing acceptance of event‑related gifts (SGA 26) on the Feb. 3 council agenda; the city attorney’s office said tickets over $50 would otherwise be prohibited and must be reported to the state. A council member asked for the item to be taken off the consent calendar for transparency.
The Rules and Open Government Committee on Feb. 3 approved adding an ad sheet related to SGA 26 to the Feb. 3 council agenda and accepted staff’s recommendation to authorize acceptance of event‑related gifts for officials representing the city at Super Bowl–era events.
Council Member Candelis questioned why the receipt‑of‑gifts item was proposed for the consent calendar and asked staff to explain its scope and whether it could be heard as a standalone item for greater transparency. "I was just wanting what this item pertains to and why specifically is it being recommended to be placed on the consent agenda?" Candelis said.
Kevin Fisher, the city assistant city attorney, told the committee the measure is designed to address a flood of event invitations surrounding the Super Bowl and to avoid inadvertent violations of the city's gift rules. "Tickets over $50 would be a prohibited gift under our gift ordinance," Fisher said, adding the authorization is intended as a limited, blanket allowance for officials attending events in an official capacity. "These will be reported as gifts to the city and then we report it to the state under, I believe it's form 801 or 802," he said.
Fisher emphasized the policy is focused on higher‑value admissions and not giveaways or small promotional items. "We're not talking about, you know, tchotchkes or things like that," he said.
Council Member Candelis asked that the item be scheduled as a standalone agenda item outside the consent calendar to allow for public transparency and comment. Chair and committee members indicated they had the authority to request that change.
The committee then voted to approve the Feb. 3 agenda with the ad sheet included and the request to consider the item as a standalone matter; the motion carried 5–0.
The committee did not adopt substantive changes to the proposed authorization during its discussion; Fisher said accepted gifts would be logged and reported according to city and state requirements. The item will appear on the council agenda for final consideration, where members of the public may comment if the item is removed from consent.
