Council talks proper procedure

After a heated Creston City Council meeting earlier this month, elected officials met for a work session to discuss meeting procedures and policy May 21 ahead of their next regular meeting.

Under Resolution 138-13, council meetings follow the 10th edition of Robert’s Rules of Order. This book provides instructions for meeting procedures and rules. Basic rules and principles include: majority rule; ability for each member to provide input; personal remarks or side discussions during debate are out of order; the chair should always remain impartial and no person should speak until recognized by the chair.

Some, but not all, of these points were discussed, brought forward by Mayor Waylon Clayton.

“I’m not looking to add anything to what we’ve already got voted on by previous council,” Clayton said. “What I’m trying to do is raise the issue that we have some tools that the council and I can use to help mitigate what’s going on in our council meetings, to help us to control the room a little bit better.”

Clayton said coucilmembers should avoid tabling items except when necessary, as it causes extra work for city clerk Lisa Williamson. Clayton also said councilmembers need to address him before they speak.

“I’m not telling people they have to stand, but that is part of the parliamentary procedures,” Clayton said. “It also says, ‘wait for the chair to recognize you before you speak.’”

Councilmember Jocelyn Blazek said she understands asking for permission when in discussion so councilmembers don’t talk over eachother. However, she requested that not be necessary when making a motion.

“I don’t think there’s any problem with the way that we have done things in terms of making a motion,” Blazek said. “In the past, it’s usually been Rich makes a motion, somebody seconds it. I think adding that formality to the motion part of the process by saying ‘may I speak’ is not necessary.”

Clayton also asked whether councilmembers should be allowed to ask more than one question when they have the floor. Blazek and councilmember Martin Graham were in favor of this.

“I like the idea of a little bit more of a formality so it’s not a big production like it was last meeting. If we have to stop and go through you, then it kind of slows everything down,” Graham said. “But you also can’t make it so strict that you’re not going to want to ask any questions.”

As discussions continued, Clayton said he simply wanted to give order to the meetins, stating that councilmembers should be giving full respect to the mayor. Blazek pointed out respect is a two-way street.

“it goes both ways because at the last meeting, I do believe I had the floor and was interrupted by the mayor,” Blazek said. “If council’s not allowed to talk over one another, I don’t believe that the mayor should be able to talk over council either.”

In general, multiple elected officials said they appreciated the review of policy, especially with so many hot button topics coming up in recent months.

“I do appreciate some of the information you have put together, I think it will be helpful going forward,” Blazek said. “There are some things in here I think we need to clarify.”