The Carbondale Observer has done a good job of summarizing last Tuesday's City Council meeting. I only caught the first hour and had some observations/comments based on that:
Local Attorney Hugh Williams spoke for a good five minutes on the subject of the Carbondale Convention and Tourism Bureau, calling for the city to pull all funding from the organization, which would reduce the CCTB's budget by some 70%. I have seen figures indicating the CCTB already plans to cut expenses, reducing funding to local organizations and cutting the budget for its website from $8000 to $3000. Executive Director Debbie Moore attending the meeting, sitting in the back row, but, if she spoke, it was after 8 p.m.
Don Monty is establishing himself as the most knowledgeable member of the city council and the most focused on details. He pulled two items out of the warrants just so that people watching the council meeting would know what boards and commissions had their minutes approved and whom the mayor had appointed to the CCTB board. Later, he was the only member of the council to want to discuss the budget and it appeared he wanted to critique the way in which city staff had drafted it but he would up saying staff had done a very good job developing it.
Council seemed leery of taking up the proposal to criminalize spending the night on city property with hesitations on both the motion and second. Concerns included freedom of speech issues,camping at Cedar Lake and the effect on groups like the Lion's Club who may spend the night on city property preparing for their pancake breakfasts. Lee Fronabarger eventually withdrew his original motion and Corene McDaniels her second. Technically, I don't think that was permissible under standard parliamentary procedure, as once a motion has been seconded, it can't be withdrawn but must have some action taken on it. However, the council, like most organizations today, doesn't adhere to strict Roberts' Rules of Order.
Local Attorney Hugh Williams spoke for a good five minutes on the subject of the Carbondale Convention and Tourism Bureau, calling for the city to pull all funding from the organization, which would reduce the CCTB's budget by some 70%. I have seen figures indicating the CCTB already plans to cut expenses, reducing funding to local organizations and cutting the budget for its website from $8000 to $3000. Executive Director Debbie Moore attending the meeting, sitting in the back row, but, if she spoke, it was after 8 p.m.
Don Monty is establishing himself as the most knowledgeable member of the city council and the most focused on details. He pulled two items out of the warrants just so that people watching the council meeting would know what boards and commissions had their minutes approved and whom the mayor had appointed to the CCTB board. Later, he was the only member of the council to want to discuss the budget and it appeared he wanted to critique the way in which city staff had drafted it but he would up saying staff had done a very good job developing it.
Council seemed leery of taking up the proposal to criminalize spending the night on city property with hesitations on both the motion and second. Concerns included freedom of speech issues,camping at Cedar Lake and the effect on groups like the Lion's Club who may spend the night on city property preparing for their pancake breakfasts. Lee Fronabarger eventually withdrew his original motion and Corene McDaniels her second. Technically, I don't think that was permissible under standard parliamentary procedure, as once a motion has been seconded, it can't be withdrawn but must have some action taken on it. However, the council, like most organizations today, doesn't adhere to strict Roberts' Rules of Order.
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