Around 10:00 last night, with Michael Schumacher, Julia Kerr, Shiva Bidar-Sielaff and Mayor Dave Cieslewicz already absent, Tim Bruer, Steve King, Paul Skidmore and Joe Clausius decided they were just going to get up and walk out of the council meeting, breaking quorum.
COMMENTS/OBSERVATIONS ON THE WALK OUT
Why did they walk out?
Worst Case Scenario: They didn’t want to listen to Thuy talk about issues she felt were important.
Best Case Scenario: Bruer told a neighborhood association he would be at their meeting at 9:45. (I find that a little unbelievable) Skidmore had to go to work (he works at Menards for JBM Security but this has never been an issue before) and . . . well, according to the alders I talked to Clausius and King have no excuses.
In fact, Steve King posted on Facebook to someone who watched the meeting “It was painful… but walking out and helping to break quorum to avoid more pain was not. I hope you stayed awake for that part!” and on another post about their walk out “That felt good!”
So, it appears intentional. Very intentional.
My take on it? This was incredibly irresponsible, disrespectful and if they can’t be bothered to do their jobs, then maybe they should be replaced come April. There was an amazing lack of respect by four men on the council. Thuy Pham-Remmele might be annoying from time to time, but she was elected. She represents over 10,000 people in the City of Madison and its up to her constituents to determine if she represents them or not. They, not the alders, should correct the problem. Perhaps I feel a bit of empathy for her because of what Clear and others did during the budget a few years ago, when they wouldn’t let me discuss budget amendments during the budget discussion. But this seems wrong. Shutting down democracy because you want to go home is not acceptable from our elected leaders.
Up to this point, they had discussed the Overture, the Union Corners purchase, heard testimony on the operating budget, a few miscellaneous things plus the Wingra Park edible landscape (fruits and nuts). The meeting had only been 3.5 hours long and had been mostly productive. I don’t think Pham-Remmele was too far out of order . . . comparatively speaking.
The real harm done by their antics, there were the items that didn’t get discussed, but also there was an item Brian Solomon had that staff handed him before the meeting that “had to” be introduced that night. The item was something regarding the Verona Road project.
GETTING STARTED
The meeting started early! 6:33! It tooka moment to get the microphones working with Mark Clear in the chair because the Mayor was off to Sweeden.
ROLL CALL
Absent: Marsha Rummel, Michael Schumacher, Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, Julia Kerr, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz
Rummel was about 10 minutes late.
PRINCIPAL FOR THE DAY
Satya Rhodes-Conway asked for a point of personal privilege and shared her experiences with principal for a day at Emerson. She shows off the vest she wore while being a playground and lunchroom monitor.
Pham-Remmele also participated.
Judy Compton and Larry Palm also spoke to the issue.
I missed a bunch because I was having technology issues . . .
MOVING ON
Lauren Cnare moved suspension of the rules to allow things to be taken out of order and to introduce things at the end of the agenda.
The take up item #83, which was a resolution declaring tomorrow “Lights on Afterschool” day in the City of Madison. Still technical difficulties, so I missed what the speakers said. It was kind of amusing thos as a 2nd grade girl exclaimed she liked playing at the YWCA the city attorney discretely did a small version of the Village People dance.
Cnare moved acceptance of the petition, agenda item one. It was seconded and passed after a little confusion/amateur hour with Clear in the chair.
CONSENT AGENDA
Cnare explains that what they are doing it passing everything on the agenda except the public hearing items, items the council members want to discuss or the items people registered to speak on.
They will record an extra-majority vote unless there is objection on items 6 (appointments for people outside the city), 9, 10 and 21 (Water Utility Bonds). Items 9 & 10 (Overture) have substitutes at their desks. These are budget amendments.
Cnare says that 12 (Independent Living project near Cherokee Marsh) is likely to be referred.
They separated 12, 14, 25, 50, 51, 52 for discussion.
71 was referred to Board of Estimates and Common Council Organizational Committee.
72 was referred to Board of Estimates, Common Council Organizational Committee and Madison Arts Commission.
Clear asks if 51, since it it going to be referred if Pham-Remmele still wants to talk about it, she does.
Schmidt asks for 10 to be separated, Clear says there are speakers on 9.
There is a substitute on the committee appointments and Maniaci asks to clarify that the housing committee appointments are not on there, they are not.
Pham-Remmele asks to be recorded as abstaining on item 6, 7 and 8 and has brief question for Attorney May on 6 and asks if she can do that now?
Clear says yes.
Pham-Remmele says that this item 6 has been changed and there are people being appointed from Waunakee, Fitchburg, Sun Prairie and Verona. Some have been serving since 2002 and will serve until 2013 which is 11 years. She says that this is a serious thing and until this improves or changes she cannot vote for it. The question for the attorney on item 6 on the Sweatfree Purchase Committee , David Cox has been changed on the document, she doesn’t know that person or if they are a student, he will be serving for three years, how is he going to do that if he is a student? If he graduates and moves away then another person is changing and we appoint for 3 years, how do we do that? Doesn’t it create more complications? They serve and graduate and move.
Michael May, city attorney, says where it is required they are a student, if they graduate then the position becomes vacant and they need another appointment to fill out the end of the term.
Pham-Remmele asks how they can be a student and yet employed? She doesn’t know what department they are in or if they are a student. The information is vague.
Rhodes-Conway says that she could give Pham-Remmele the full details after the meeting.
Pham-Remmele says no, that’s not what she wants, but that is why she abstains.
Pham-Remmele asks for item 20 to be excluded too.
So, the items left to be discussed are:
public hearing items
9 (overture), 10 (overture), 12 (Independent Living project at Cherokee), 14 (Union Corners), 20 (HUD Action Plan for Community Development Division), 25 (Wingra Park edible landscape), 50, 51, 52 (all ethics issues).
Ok – gotta go . . . will fill you in on the rest as soon as I can, short story is they didn’t approve an expert to review the Overture model, did hire someone to look at the building, Cherokee project referred, Union Corners property purchased, Wingra Park edible landscape passed. The HUD issue and ethics issues did not get discussed due to the walk out.
For clarification, the items they walked out on were public hearing issues, so that means there may have been constituents waiting to speak on those issues?
Actually, I registered on two of the items, but I’m not sure if anyone else did. They weren’t public hearing items, but pulled because Alder Thuy wanted to talk about them. The items were three ethics issues and the HUD plan. And of course, at least one alder had something to introduce from the floor that will now not be referred to committees as needed.
Gotcha, thanks, Brenda!