Wellsburg Council discussing meeting procedures
Trending
WELLSBURG -- Wellsburg Council members are discussing the potential for establishing new procedures and requirements for their meetings.
Council convened in its regular session July 28, which had been rescheduled from a meeting originally set for July 14 where only three of the eight members were in attendance. The agenda included discussions on meeting operating procedures, the possibility of holding two formal meetings each month, eliminating committee meetings in which all committees are in attendance, having the city treasurer attend council meetings and making all city expenditures available at meetings for review.
"I've thought long and hard about how we operate as a group," explained Councilman Larry Swanson, who proposed the agenda items.
While the proposals were tabled for further discussion -- likely to include the next regular meeting on Aug. 11 -- they included having cellphones muted during meetings, requiring all proposed agenda items to be delivered to the city clerk by noon four days before a meeting, only discussing topics listed on the published agenda, allowing council members to speak only when recognized by the mayor and one at a time, allowing audience members to speak only when recognized by the mayor and requiring council members who will be absent to notify the mayor at least 24 hours in advance.
"A lot of councils have operating procedures," noted City Manager Erica Tamburin, explaining some bodies include requirements beyond Robert's Rules of Order. "What we're doing now is not working for us."
While many acknowledged the suggestions were basic meeting protocols, some took exception to a few of the points, particularly the request for council members to notify the mayor if they would not be in attendance.
"I'm not calling nobody," Councilman Randy Fletcher said.
Mayor Dan Dudley referenced the scheduled July 14 meeting, calling it a waste of time for city officials and residents because no business could be conducted.
"What's the sense of even coming if we don't have a quorum," he said.
Such absences were raised earlier in the July 28 meeting, where it was alleged the July 14 absences may have been organized.
Councilman Tom Gaudio denied there was any organized effort but also took issue with the suggestion of attendance requirements. He added that council is responsible for setting policy, not the city manager or other administrators.
"I don't have to come," Gaudio said. "There's nothing that requires me to be here."
Councilman Geno Capp, however, urged cooperation, reminding others they were not elected to their positions to fight.
"We're not here for that. We're here for the citizens of Wellsburg," he said. "We have to start working together."
No decisions were made on any of the other recommendations.