September 3 city council notes: “It shows what the council has been putting up with.”

In the absence of connectivity, here are city council meeting notes for Thursday, September 3.

As opposed to the city clerk's obligation to record minutes a certain way (see below), I have no statute or precedent to follow when making these observations (usually in italics and red text).

Accordingly, I'll begin with a reminder.

Our current council members were elected according to plainly illegal districts owing to the previous council's refusal to do its statutory duty and fairly redistrict. The previous council sat just as illegally as the current one sits now, owing to the refusal of the preceding council to do the very same thing.

Councilpersons like Jeff Gahan continue to believe that none of this matters, and I heard him say it aloud after the meeting last night.

I continue to believe that it does, and the Constitution should in fact matter to one elected to uphold it, and furthermore, I believe that citizens should not have to earnestly beg their representatives to perform custodial tasks that are part of their job description from the beginning.

When such omissions occur, and when representatives muddy the waters by yawning through continual and flagrant displays of illegality (and poor taste, which although indicative of the Open Air Museum is not illegal) from the person they have conspired to select as president of the council -- when council actions at each and every meeting are tainted by the president's biases -- we must likewise expect that all nine of our council members will become tainted by association, and if someone like CM Gahan happens to be a part of this group, he should expect to be asked periodically: Exactly how is any of this synonymous with leadership by any coherent definition of leadership?

And, if someone like CM Gahan is unable to answer this question of leadership in a satisfactory manner, according to accepted definitions of qualities that pertain to "leadership" and similar concepts ... well, then he shouldn't expect someone like me to gaze in his general direction and say, "job well done, sir."

Because: It isn't being done, and isn't being done well.

The rest of it I explained to him in person early this morning. But I thought this public reminder is appropriate. I can point to dozens of unelected community members who are proactively leading, not merely regressively reacting. Many of them reside in my district, where we have nothing approximating representation. I'm still looking for a council member who fits this description of leadership.

The lamp is held aloft, but it is illuminating dead air.

Now, on to the notes.

PRAYER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Will someone please find me a rabbi, imam or dervish?

ROLL CALL
They’re all here, much to the chagrin of fair-minded people everywhere who feel that fair electoral districts are a prerequisite of fair elections.

APPROVAL AND CORRECTION OF MINUTES

Proceeding apace ... but there is some question (Diane Benedetti, in very low tone of voice) about the proper detail expected in minutes. Something about arguments at the last meeting and the language used. Seeing as the council president voiced the desire to exclude peope like me on a permanent basis, maybe these low tones are so I can't hear to take these notees.

Clerk Marcey Wisman notes that meeting minutes are taken a certain way, as a succinct overview of events, and that the actual audio recording is on file and available to the public. Dan Coffey wants it to be detailed word for word in the written record.

Coffey: “It shows what the council has been putting up with.”

Roger: (to myself) "It also shows what I've had to put up with."

Price would like to see meetings videotaped and showed on local access television, but doubts that we afford it. How, um, unusual of him to make that point.

Jack Messer: “Is it part of the agenda that conflict between the public – does conflict between the public have to do with the council?”

Council attorney Stan Robison agrees with the clerk insofar as what she says is required in minutes for the historical record. “Minutes have to be brief and to the point, and they are,” says Robison.

Mrs. Benedetti still wants to probe this, but they approve minutes as written. Matters still being conducted in a whisper, probably cause Price won't let us afford repairs to the sound system.

Chicanery is afoot, but I’m not sure to what extent. Blatant cowardice has a way of encouraging that, but of course, IMHO.

COMMUNICATIONS – PUBLIC
Coffey immediately notes that the controversial building permit moratorium will be tabled tonight. Save your breath, peeps.

1. Scott Adams – has millions of dollars of investment that will be harmed by the proposed moratorium. Shining star in a recession is one of his developments, where 12 brand new homes sold this year. Great thing for the economy: “We have momentum.” Second phase of their current project could be “damaged significantly.” Urges the council to reconsider the whole idea. The moratorium is not the answer to the specific problem.

I know it's difficult for Scott to come before the body that abused him so badly during King Larry's reign of error.

COMMUNICATIONS – CITY OFFICIALS
Carl Malysz has three messages from the mayor.

a. Report on EcoTech's "amnesty" on junk and yard waste: 243 tons of “stuff” picked up by EcoTech during August, which comes to three times more weight than was picked up during recent storm events.

b. Building permit moratorium: A serious thing. There is basic information that the city staff would like to share with the council before the moratorium details are fleshed out, as well as Shane Gibson’s concern about certain legal issues to share. A workshop is needed.

c. Memo from the mayor: Recommendation that the council approve appointments to the tree board.

One other thing: G-09-16 … Shane to provide information on the garbage fee ordinance third reading tonight.

Coffey once again reminds the gallery that the moratorium will be tabled.

John Gonder is concerned about globs of asphalt on the sidewalk. Someone twisted his ankle, whether drunk or not, and complained to him about it. Is Spring Street paving complete? Gohmann should clean up the sidewalks either way.

Don't get me started on the delayed striping, John.

Steve Price offers public thanks to the city for its help -- on behalf of Ken Pyle and the recent Dewey Heights neighborhood clean-up effort.

That's a good one. Those who took part in the clean-up commented that Price did nothing except buy weenies. Is any district in the city under-represented to the extent of the 3rd? It's doltification without representation.

COMMUNICATIONS – MAYOR
Not here tonight.

APPOINTMENTS
Motion moved and seconded: Unanimous approval of tree board appointments. I guess this means we can begin cutting down the trees.

(to be continued)