pages: OpenGovernmentCommission/2018-03-05.pdf, 14
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OpenGovernmentCommission | 2018-03-05 | 14 | The City Clerk suggested removing the language since a supermajority vote is already required to suspend the rules and the vote would just be suspending the rules. Chair Dieter stated the subcommittee did note that acceptance of the rule would require changing the ordinance; the subcommittee was going to let staff figure out how to make the change. The City Clerk stated that she did not know what to tell the Council because the subcommittee was silent on three meetings in a row. Commissioner Foreman stated that he would make the matter not debatable, so the Council would just vote. Commissioner Schwartz concurred with removing the language requiring a supermajority vote; inquired why 11:30 p.m. was selected; stated running a meeting does not have to take so long; suggested using the current time of 10:30 p.m. Chair Dieter stated for almost two decades the rule set the time at midnight; the public knew the routine of the previous Council always voting to go past 11:00 p.m.; this Council is totally erratic; no one knows when meetings will continue; the proposal is fair to the public and Council, and is an effort to get through City business; the current problem is the Council is not getting through City business, which representatives are elected to do; she can only imagine how the City Manager feels; she thinks the proposal returns it to the way it was for two decades, which worked fine; with the accumulation of all of the changes, meetings might not go so late; the proposal prevents deliberating on the actual agenda timing for 45 minutes. Commissioners Foreman and Little concurred. Commissioner Foreman stated the goal is to make meetings shorter; many things can be done to shorten meetings; the time set is not going to shorten meetings; former Councilmember deHaan informed him there were never long staff presentations in the past; time was limited; staff provides a detailed description two weeks before the meeting and goes over everything again in a presentation at the meeting; he does not understand why the staff presentation cannot be limited to clarifying questions; there is no need for staff to repeat the entire staff report, which eats up all the time. Chair Dieter stated the City Manager works at the behest of the City Council; the Council can ask the City Manager to shorten staff presentations; the rules of order just address how to run City Council meetings. Commissioner Henneberry stated limiting the debate on adjournment should will shorten meetings; the conversation is 45 minutes and is a waste of time. Meeting Open Government Commission March 5, 2018 14 | OpenGovernmentCommission/2018-03-05.pdf |