Aldermen at the Jan. 28 city council meeting bandied about adding an alderman to the Planning Commission as an answer to the low volunteer rate for those positions. Alderman Melissa Greene said, “We do have two members of council on the CAPC,” and alderman Susan Harman expressed that she would not want an alderman to sit on the Planning Commission. Harman is one of two aldermen who requested to sit on the CAPC at the last regular meeting.
Alderman Bob Thomas moved to reserve Planning Commission Position 6 for someone on council and Mayor Butch Berry said he was against that. Thomas withdrew his motion and the agenda item died.
Up next was regarding aldermen who are also on a commission voting on an issue at only one table. Due to vague agenda wording, it was unclear if the topic was regarding all commissions or a specific one. Alderman Mickey Schneider stated this was intended to be specific to the Planning Commission.
“It is not fair to the community,” Schneider said, “for one person to vote twice on the same issue.” Harman argued that if it is for the best of the community in one commission, it would translate to be the best decision for council. Schneider rebutted by addressing the issue of recourse, stating that voting at only one table is important because if the Planning Commission denies a request, a citizen can take their issue to the council. If the same person is on the council and allowed to vote again, impartial recourse would not be achieved.
Alderman Terry McClung took Harman’s side saying, “This is a bad idea.” Schneider ended up withdrawing her motion to limit a council member from voting on the same issue, and instead made a motion to revoke Ord. 2179 which would prevent anyone on the council to be on the Planning Commission. This motion passed, with Greene and Thomas voting against it.
Creature comforts get on the list
Greene shifted discussion to animal safety by introducing long-researched improvements to the City Animal Ordinance. She presented council with written code definitions for 1) Inclement Weather, 2) Dog left outside, and 3) Minimum Standards Shelter. Discussion ensued about the specificity of exact temperatures that may describe an unsafe environment for an animal.
Alderman Terry McClung expressed aversion with adding definitions to Code stating, “I think whatever we have on the books now is sufficient.” Greene argued that there were not definitions in the books about animals left in cars. The motion passed, opposed by McClung, to empower City Attorney Tim Weaver to produce an ordinance definition draft.
DeVito returns
James DeVito, who had been vocal earlier about the agenda rearrangement, returned at this point in the meeting and was appointed to the CAPC. He noted Schneider’s opposition, and Greene was the only one who asked him a question. “Is the downtown parking garage your motive for being on the CAPC?” she asked. DeVito said no.