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End work sessions, add formal meeting, mayor proposes |
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Tuesday, 28 November 2006 |
Asheville City Council may abolish its work sessions in favor of holding another formal meeting each month, after Mayor Terry Bellamy broached the idea on Nov. 21.
"Since December 2005, I‘ve watched us deal with issues and I don‘t feel that there‘s an ability to limit the discussion here and not get into debate," Bellamy said. "We don‘t need work sessions. I think we‘re at a point where we need council meetings. This is a waste of time. Personally, I think we‘re beyond work sessions. The public needs and wants to be engaged. We‘ve gotten away from the original intent. We usually go back over these issues again. Let‘s just put these issues on the agenda."
Council may have decided the issue last Tuesday, when it discussed its calendar for the coming year.
Councilman Brownie Newman also raised the question of how useful the work sessions are to council.
"Are work
sessions the most productive way for council to deal with this
business?" Newman asked. "I oftentimes look at these and wonder how
many of these are significant issues where we need public input."
Work sessions
occur on the third Tuesday of every month, beginning at 3 p.m. During
the sessions, council receives information from city staff on ongoing
or upcoming issues and discusses policy matters but, with rare
exception, does not vote or take action on those matters. Public
comment is also not allowed at work sessions.
Later, Bellamy
noted that she would like to see council keep its current two formal
meetings, on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. She also
noted that other council members have expressed frustration.
But Planning
Director Scott Shuford, Councilman Carl Mumpower and City Manager Gary
Jackson voiced their concerns about the time two meetings would leave
city staff to accurately address the issues.
"This is a great
discussion," Jackson said with a chuckle. "But I think there‘s a
problem you‘d run into with scheduling. There are a lot of action items
for council. If you want us to find a way to do it within two meetings,
we‘ll do it. We‘ll find a way. But three would give us more time."
"Can we fit in all the issues in that amount of time?" Mumpower asked.
However, Jackson
also said that he felt that work sessions "have changed. There‘s not a
lot to differentiate them from regular meetings. If you make that
decision tonight that‘s your call. We can work with three regular
meetings. But I couldn‘t agree more, mayor, for staff to make these
long presentations may not be the best use of their time."
The discussion
originally arose after discussion on possible rules for bed and
breakfast establishments in single family homes became confused on a
point of order. Councilman Jan Davis questioned if Councilwoman Robin
Cape was stating a position on an issue, instead of asking a question.
The ensuing discussion led council members to question how clear the
rules on work sessions actually were ‚Äî and led to Bellamy‘s statement.
After taking
office in December, Bellamy established committees consisting of three
council members to discuss issues before they appear on the formal
council agenda.
Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Holly Jones noted that "it could be very helpful" to get rid of work sessions.
"The community
could have a lot more input with three meetings a month," Jones said.
"We could also get a lot more done when it came to tackling development
issues."
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