Alderman Bob Thomas contended at the April 9 meeting that city council at times continues to stretch the intent of Robert’s Rules of Order and sometimes simply ignore it. He said failure to adhere to Code is one of the most frequently mentioned complaints voiced by citizenry, and council is a role model with RRO as their Code. “Council cannot honestly expect respect out there if it does not respect its Code in here,” he said.
Thomas noted RRO states motions should be made clearly and succinctly and repeated by the mayor before a vote. He suggested they clean up their motion-making procedures. He stated it is a rule no one speaks twice until everyone had had a chance to speak.
He mentioned the person who brings a topic to the table should be first to speak, but the Mayor Butch Berry often speaks before opening the discussion. He also pointed out there is a procedure for adding items to the agenda, yet at one meeting an item not on the adopted agenda was not only discussed but voted on – a clear violation.
Thomas added actions by Berry in which he did not maintain an appearance of impartiality or participated in a discussion – a violation of RRO.
In resolution, Thomas recommended aldermen study a document he passed around which discussed the topics of Point of Order and Parliamentary Inquiry. His long-term solution was to move for a training session on RRO after the November election but before January 1, 2019, and for all elected officials and commissioners to be invited.
Vote on Thomas’s motion was unanimous.
He also moved for himself to become the facilitator, which meant as soon as possible setting the date of the training sessions and finding an instructor. Alderman David Mitchell said the city attorney should be involved with facilitating, but Kristi Kendrick noted how expensive and unnecessary that would be. She said she could provide information helpful for setting up the meeting. Vote accepting Thomas’ second motion was 5-1, Mitchell voting No.