Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Ms. Carr stated that was what she was getting at, if she drafted an ordinance or resolution with <br />another member; it could be put on the agenda otherwise she would have to wait for a study <br />session to discuss it. She said what she has seen in study sessions are people who show up <br />late, so there is not a quorum. Some members filibuster so they could not get to the rules. Ms. <br />Carr said that was the reason she abandoned the use of study sessions and simply moved it to <br />Council business. Council business belonged in an open meeting where constituents can <br />comment and weigh in on issues. In a study session, if it can even happen by the way it is <br />written. She said there is a provision where Council can call or a special meeting and if the rule <br />change was approved she would be calling special meetings. <br /> <br />Mr. Crow asked Mr. Sharpe what wrong was being addressed by changing this rule. He said he <br />believes the way the rule operates there has to be something that is not working correctly for <br />him and his colleagues to want to change the rule. Mr. Crow said everyone around the table <br />has used that section of the agenda at least twice during the last two years. He again asked <br />what is not working to cause this rule to be changed, if it is not a resolution or an ordinance it is <br />being forced into a study session. <br /> <br />Mr. Sharpe said the only thing constant in life is change, and with this Council would have an <br />opportunity to carry on with whatever is on the agenda without undue filibustering. <br /> <br />Mr. Crow noted the last two Council sessions has been done in less than an hour and the <br />average length is less than an hour and a half. He said if Council chooses to put it into a study <br />session then the Council meeting gets crammed out, in order for folks to watch Monday night <br />football, then Council needed to look at their priorities. Mr. Crow stated this rule has worked in <br />handling: Loop parking, zoning code, Loop traffic study, Council Rules, police staffing, Best of <br />UCity, Citizens Task Force on Crime, goal setting, surveillance cameras, boards and <br />commissions, crime prevention and awareness. Mr. Crow said all are issues brought up in that <br />section by members sitting around the table. This rules change will force those issues back into <br />a study session, at the tail-end and will be squeezed out. Mr. Crow said it is calling for a more <br />scripted Council meeting that what they currently have. He said he is decided where the speed <br />of the meeting is of concern and where the filibustering is of concern, when at fact the meetings <br />have been at less than an hour. <br /> <br />Mr. Price said scratch Rule 12 and can just add, “Any Councilmember can put something on the <br />agenda with a second”. He said if there is an incident like shooting, crime, the Council cannot <br />wait for a study session. He said the City Manager is not the elected official, he does not get <br />voted on this coming April. Mr. Price said other folks are going to be put in office or out of office <br />in April. He said if a Councilmember has a constituent with a big problem and you have to go <br />tell them Council will go study it but it would not come up until March and it is December. Mr. <br />Price agreed with Ms. Carr that there needed to be some language to say this can be placed on <br />a normal agenda and the City is fluid, the events are fluid and there is not time to wait until <br />Council can study it. Mr. Price did not know why this rule was trying to be eliminated and he <br />hardly watches Monday night football any more, as he catches it in the third quarter. <br /> <br />Mr. Sharpe said prior to the time Ms. Welsch came on Council as Mayor, this rule was not in <br />effect. Mr. Sharpe asked Mayor Welsch why it was put on. <br /> <br />Mayor Welsch noted she put this section on the agenda so that there would be a place on the <br />agenda where Councilmembers could discuss things that were not the legislative business of <br />the City, which by the City’s Charter, is where Council does all of its business by resolution or <br />ordinance. It was put on for discussion and was never meant to be a place where Council <br />would vote. She noted that at the time she brought it up, not every member of Council agreed <br />with the idea because of concern of how it might be used. Mayor Welsch noted the way U <br />City’s government is set up is with administrative reports from the City Manager and legislative <br />4 <br /> <br /> <br />