At the Jan. 10 city council meeting, aldermen voted on which two members would become commissioners on the City Advertising and Promotion Commission. That vote was determined to be invalid as Mayor Butch Berry had mistakenly told aldermen they could vote for themselves. Results of the original vote, after several rounds, ended with aldermen Autumn Slane and Nick Roberts as CAPC commissioners.
The first Special Meeting on Jan. 18 was to determine and vote an alderman for Position 5 of the CAPC. Berry asked for nominations, which resulted in aldermen Slane, Harry Meyer, and Melissa Greene nominating themselves. Alderman Terry McClung requested that nominations have a motion and a second attached with them, which was the way nominations were taken, in the end. There was question over whether aldermen could nominate themselves.
Roberts motioned to table the topic until they knew exactly what the procedure was to nominate an alderman to the CAPC. Slane attempted twice to ask a clarifying question which was interrupted by Berry saying, “We need a second.” Alderman Bill Ott pointed out that Slane could pose Point of Inquiry, which she used to ask if the vote was tabled or if the seat would go back to previous commissioners Melissa Greene and Harry Meyer. Berry said yes.
Both Roberts and Ott attempted Point of Inquiry as well, but were overspoken by Berry asking for a second. Slane gave a second. That motion failed 3-3 with Slane, Roberts and Ott voting Yes.
Meyer and Slane were nominated for the position by motions. Two rounds of voting commenced with Slane winning the vote with Berry having to put the final vote in for Slane at 4-0-1.
The second special meeting to determine Position 6 opened with Roberts saying that even if his vote was cancelled out, he still would have won the position 4-1. McClung asked City Attorney Tim Weaver why Roberts voting improperly would cancel out everyone else’s vote. Weaver said that because the rules of voting were stated improperly, the entire vote would need to be redone as with the first special meeting.
Ott did make a motion to ratify Roberts as the holder of Pos. 6 with Roberts seconding, but withdrew the motion after Weaver said he was not sure if the motion was legal. Instead, aldermen motioned on nominations with Roberts nominated and seconded.
Meyer nominated Greene to the position but without a second, it was only Roberts on the proverbial ballot.
A paper vote was still taken with two rounds of voting again, with Berry voting for Roberts to allow the motion to carry. The end vote was 4-0-2.