The last few council meetings have been something just short of chaotic. I’ve been trying to put my finger on just exactly why and how it happened. Here’s an observation from someone I know has watched MANY council meetings over the years.
June 3, 2009
All Alders
Madison, WIDear Alders:
I am writing you to express my concern in regards to the declining decorum at some of the most recent Common Council meetings. Last night I tuned in as I do on most Tuesday evenings to watch my city government and tax dollars at work and ended the evening highly frustrated, not with what was decided but how those decisions played out in front of the camera.
The council use to follow a strict set of meeting rules, speakers were given their allotted amount of time to speak, and if they went over they were reminded of the time limit and then a motion was moved to give them more time. Recently this seems to be ignored and speakers are allowed to go on well past their time. I am not saying loosening of this rule is a bad thing necessarily , but it can start a slippery slope of people feeling slighted when it’s enforced on them, and not on others.
As a City Channel viewer there comes a host of problems with a breakdown of decorum in the council chambers that is maybe not so obvious to a person in attendance at the meeting but is extremely frustrating while watching online or TV. Some examples from last night are as follows:
· Last night during the Turner’s debate, there was no line between questioning registrants, staff questions and debate it made the whole process extremely hard to follow.
· Hijacking of an alders mic while she was asking questions of staff.
· The amount of questions and talking at alders by other alders, while they have the floor is frustrating and makes it seems like the meetings are out of control. It use to be, alders did not address other alders but addressed the Chair.
· Discussions going on around alders that currently have the floor to speak.
· The change of tone of the meeting when the Mayor yields the chair to the President of the Common Council. The meeting seems to lose even more decorum.
· Meetings that do not start on time. Tuning in at 6:30 to watch a blue screen for at least 10 mins is a waste of everyone’s time. I think that at 6:30, the camera’s should go live, so that we the citizens at home can see what the meeting delays are.
I would like all of you to please reflect on your meeting behaviors, the longer this goes unchecked the worse it is going to get and harder it will be to fix in the future. Please remember these meetings are not just your meetings, they are ours (citizens) also.
Sincerely,
Amy L. Westra
After watching some of the County Board meetings and the Plan Commission meeting last night, I am struck by how much more professional they seem. I think knowing Robert’s Rules of Order and following them is one place to start. Perhaps the Council needs a refresher course in how Robert’s Rules is supposed to be used. Second, I think they need a reminder of their own procedures and what order they conduct business in. It’s pretty easy. 1. Motion. 2. Public Testimony 3. Questions of Registrants (sometimes the motion comes later but I think the motion should be on the floor before the item is taken up) 4. Questions of Staff 5. Discussion/Additional Motions/Vote. Third, I think just some common courtesy and respect would go a long way.
I think following Robert’s Rules and their own procedures would help immensely. I guess the main responsibility for making that happens lies with the chair of the meetings and the council leadership. Let’s hope they’re willing to work on this, because quite frankly, I think several members of the Council, particularly newer ones, were embarrassed after the last few meetings. If the Mayor and council leadership don’t get a grip on it, I think the alders need to start using Robert’s Rules to bring the body back to order, which could be done with a variety of motions from the floor and the alders could also just set a different tone by talking (to each other, without the floor) less, paying attention and just exercising some basic courtesy.
Meanwhile, let’s hope tonight is a little less crazy and painful to watch and respectful of the City as a whole.
