2011-04-25 Study Session - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Mr. Glickert agreed with Mr. Sharpe and Mr. Kraft on Rule 12. He said he thought there might be confusion with people in the chamber. He thought if it was for a Council liaison, he thought that is what should be discussed and not where Council can talk about personal interests. Mayor Welsch said that she does not consider this personal interest but thinks it is Council business. She noted that there was no place to discuss Council business on the agenda, including, for instance, these rules. She said that she would go with the majority, but a discussion as this, on rules, does not belong in Council Comments. Mr. Sharpe asked if it would be possible to put Council discussion somewhere else. Mayor Welsch said she had added the section for Council to report on the Boards or Commission to which they liaise. She said the Council could take out Board and Commission reports and just do items of interest. Mayor Welsch said she did not think a separate section was needed for just liaison reports, but, thought a section was needed where Council could bring up items to the full Council for discussion. Mr. Sharpe asked Mayor Welsch if someone wanted to talk about Boards and Commission, they may or they may talk about other items. He asked if talking about Boards and Commission was not a good thing. Mayor Welsch said that she wants to encourage it as that is why she added it to the agenda format. Mr. Crow said that he understood where the Mayor was coming from but thought Council business could be brought up in Old or New business. Mayor Welsch said she understood Old and New Business was meant for legislative business, and were not items just for discussion. She said under Council Business a second would not be needed to put anything on the agenda. Mr. Kraft said Robert’s Rules of Orders allows certain flexibility in that you can vote to suspend Robert’s Rules and cover what you would want to bring up for discussion and then vote to go back under the guidance of Robert’s Rules. He felt it was a consensus for leaving it only for Council to report on the Boards or Commission to which they liaise. Mr. Kraft said that he believes the liaison reports are a good addition. He said that he goes to the Library and the Plan commission and found it interesting to hear about what people have to say. He thought it should be encouraged and has been a useful addition. Ms. Ricci said that she thought the agenda was getting too long and believed that some things may be grouped together. She also said that they should talk about an agenda, its purposes and what the Council wants to do. Ms. Ricci said the first order would always be to call the meeting to order; next would be proclamation; next would be passing of minutes, next would be making appointments, and what does one expect out of Municipal Council meetings. They would expect to hear from City Manager. They would expect to hear from Council, citizens, address old business, and expect to introduce new business. She said group items together with big headings instead of making an agenda with 17 items. Mayor Welsch said that is pretty much what is presently on the agenda, except there is a place for public hearings. She said that she had split up citizen participation so that we could get some citizens in at the top of the meeting, so people didn’t always have to wait until the end of the meeting. Ms. Ricci asked if the distinction of Council Reports and Council Comments is Council Reports is concerning business that we are conducting for the City and Council Comments is on personal issues, babies, and announcements.