MONROE - A revision of city code provided a lively discussion on Robert's Rules of Order and how much city aldermen can participate at the committee level when the Monroe Common Council last week debated changing the composition of standing committees to four members.
The change in the code made each committee uniform with four members by removing the designation of alternate. It included a specification that if committee members found themselves tied on an issue, it would be automatically moved to full council for a decision.
Alderman Ron Marsh said he disagreed "on all points" of the ordinance. As in the past, he called for an end to standing committees. With discussion as a full committee, everybody gets the same information at the same time, he said. Marsh added that the idea is just "applying a Band-Aid" to a bigger problem.
City Administrator Phil Rath conceded that the change would not be a full solution to problems the council faces regarding state open meetings law.
"I agree, it doesn't fix everything," Rath said.
However, he added there were positive steps in the change. Rath said a tie moving directly to council would allow some good ideas to gain a second viewing rather than "dying" at committee meetings.
Alderman Charles Koch had been one of the advocates for larger committees. Serving as the president of the Board of Public Works, Koch said a number of items were moved to full council because members felt only two people making decisions was problematic. Fellow committee member Tom Miller noted a point when he and Koch were against a measure in committee but did not feel comfortable making that decision without more council input.
"When it got to council, it was passed 7-2," Miller said.
Earlier in the meeting Wednesday, Mayor Louis Armstrong conducted a discussion regarding parliamentary procedure. He and City Attorney Dan Bartholf evaluated how meetings are meant to be conducted according to parliamentary authority and called for more adherence to the rules rather than "very open and loose" discussions.
According to Robert's Rules, a tie in committee ends discussion on the topic. Alderman Michael Boyce acknowledged this and said if the council wanted to use proper procedure, which he endorsed, then the city should do the same. Armstrong noted standing rules could be instituted by the council which would supersede Robert's Rules.
"I struggle with the tie vote being a majority vote," Boyce said. "I have no problem with shifting the alternate members of committees."
Alderwoman Chris Beer agreed in her support of the change, minus the tie-breaker being an affirmative and treated as a recommendation to full council. Boyce moved to amend the ordinance to remove the tie condition. The amendment passed on a 5-3 vote. Aldermen Jeff Newcomer, Richard Thoman, Boyce, Beer and Marsh voted in favor. Brooke Bauman, Koch and Miller were against the change. Alderman Reid Stangel was absent.
In the change of committees to four members, Thoman, Miller, Boyce, Newcomer, Koch and Beer voted to pass the ordinance while Marsh and Bauman voted no.
The change in the code made each committee uniform with four members by removing the designation of alternate. It included a specification that if committee members found themselves tied on an issue, it would be automatically moved to full council for a decision.
Alderman Ron Marsh said he disagreed "on all points" of the ordinance. As in the past, he called for an end to standing committees. With discussion as a full committee, everybody gets the same information at the same time, he said. Marsh added that the idea is just "applying a Band-Aid" to a bigger problem.
City Administrator Phil Rath conceded that the change would not be a full solution to problems the council faces regarding state open meetings law.
"I agree, it doesn't fix everything," Rath said.
However, he added there were positive steps in the change. Rath said a tie moving directly to council would allow some good ideas to gain a second viewing rather than "dying" at committee meetings.
Alderman Charles Koch had been one of the advocates for larger committees. Serving as the president of the Board of Public Works, Koch said a number of items were moved to full council because members felt only two people making decisions was problematic. Fellow committee member Tom Miller noted a point when he and Koch were against a measure in committee but did not feel comfortable making that decision without more council input.
"When it got to council, it was passed 7-2," Miller said.
Earlier in the meeting Wednesday, Mayor Louis Armstrong conducted a discussion regarding parliamentary procedure. He and City Attorney Dan Bartholf evaluated how meetings are meant to be conducted according to parliamentary authority and called for more adherence to the rules rather than "very open and loose" discussions.
According to Robert's Rules, a tie in committee ends discussion on the topic. Alderman Michael Boyce acknowledged this and said if the council wanted to use proper procedure, which he endorsed, then the city should do the same. Armstrong noted standing rules could be instituted by the council which would supersede Robert's Rules.
"I struggle with the tie vote being a majority vote," Boyce said. "I have no problem with shifting the alternate members of committees."
Alderwoman Chris Beer agreed in her support of the change, minus the tie-breaker being an affirmative and treated as a recommendation to full council. Boyce moved to amend the ordinance to remove the tie condition. The amendment passed on a 5-3 vote. Aldermen Jeff Newcomer, Richard Thoman, Boyce, Beer and Marsh voted in favor. Brooke Bauman, Koch and Miller were against the change. Alderman Reid Stangel was absent.
In the change of committees to four members, Thoman, Miller, Boyce, Newcomer, Koch and Beer voted to pass the ordinance while Marsh and Bauman voted no.