Political Gumbo: Chippy Meeting

Thank you for the kind words on the new Cover Story feature. It was born out of two desires: the first was to bring more long-form feature stories to you on hot-button issues.

The second reason is I missed writing those 1,000 piece cover pieces that I used to do when the other spot was interested in getting good news out every week as it was happening.

Look for it every Wednesday.

Now onto some business.

Monday’s City Council meeting was chippy at best.

There were veiled and out-in-the-open shots taken around the dais.

Personal Councilmember vs. Councilmember attacks are never good.

It’s sad to say that on maybe the biggest issue of the year, the City Council did not have its finest moment.

Charter reform is huge and hard enough to follow. The personal attacks did not make it easier to follow.

And seriously, are we still on the Justin Jones thing?

He was appointed twice by the City Council, and the voters chose him in the March election.

Yes, the race got ugly at times. But every registered voter in District 3 had a chance to make their voice heard.

This mess about him being a plant is ridiculous.

As Mayor Victor Gordo said the same process was used to appoint Joel Bryant, Andy Wilson and Jess Rivas.

Not one complaint then, and the process worked.

Besides Bryant, who opted not to run, the voters cosigned on Wilson and Rivas in fair elections.

I’m still getting calls from people who have no idea what the City Council did on campaign finance limits. Some said they turned off the meeting because they couldn’t take the sniping.

Others were confused by the motions and substitute motions.

Let me break down first how it works.

An agendized item is introduced by City Clerk Mark Jomsky. If it is an action item requiring a vote it will include a staff recommendation.

Mayor Victor Gordo will usually open it up for some early discussion on the item and even perhaps questions.

Then the public is given a chance to chime in.

After that it comes back to the City Council and deliberations, which can include more questions, begin.

At some point a City Councilmember will make a motion.

If that motion gets a second it’s up for a vote.

BUT … stay with me.

Another Councilmember can make a substitute motion, and the substitute motion will take precedence.

There is also the possibility for a friendly amendment to a motion, which is less than a substitute motion. In that case, a member who believes that a relatively minor change to a motion would improve it asks the member who made the motion if s/he would agree to the change.

That’s pretty much it.

A couple of other threads.

Keep in mind the item can be tabled and sent back to City staff for more information, and the Council does not have to take the staff recommendation.

Nor are they bound or required to follow the demands of correspondence or public comment.

On campaign contributions, the City Council voted to establish limits by ordinance. However, a component that will go to the voters will prohibit amendments to that ordinance for four years if it passes in November.

Councilmember Jason Lyon also pushed for a trigger that would be pulled if a candidate self-funds above a yet-to-be-determined limit. That will be worked out later.

I like it.

There is a lot of cash at the dais. The new limits of $1,000 and $2,500 hamper the little guy as just about everybody pointed out.

The trigger is necessary.

Also at the end of the meeting Felicia Williams briefly introduced a motion to change the way the City’s mayor is elected.

The motion would have forced all Councilmembers to give up their seats to run for Mayor. Tyron Hampton briefly seconded it and Stave Madison was pushing discussion to end the free ride that Councilmembers in district 3, 5 and 7 enjoy.

The Councilmembers in those districts are not up for reelection at the same time as the mayor and can run for mayor without giving up their seats.

The mayor is elected at the same time Councilmembers in 1, 2, 4 and 6 are elected which means those Councilmembers must resign to run for mayor.

Not fair at all.

Hopefully somebody on the City Council gives this some thought and brings an idea on the issue back before the August deadline to send initiatives to the ballot.

Let the people decide.