RO Letter to Judge Berman

As part of an initiative to afford the District Council (including its eight affiliated local unions) the opportunity to demonstrate that it can sustain the reform measures that have been implemented and that it can conduct its affairs without prior approvals and the threat of veto, the Review Officer ("RO") seeks the Court's consent (l) to waive enforcement of all prior notice requirements placed upon the District Council and local unions by the Stipulation and Order, as set forth in paragraphs 5.b and 5.c, and (2) to eliminate the veto authority given to the RO by paragraph 5.b.iii of the Stipulation and Order, in favor of the ability of the RO to initiate civil contempt or other enforcement proceedings in this Court.

The proposed changes would build upon the waiver of the prior notice requirement for local union expenditures under paragraph 5.b.i.(l) of the Stipulation and Order, which the Court previously approved. The changes are sought as the first step in developing a means to test the ability of the District Council to conduct its affairs on a permanent basis in a lawful manner and would include the extension of the RO's tenure through 2014. The gradual reduction of oversight by the RO will facilitate an objective assessment of the sustainability of a compliant District Council. The RO requests that this important proposition be placed on the agenda for the conference scheduled to be held on March 10,2014.

RO Extension