La Plata council fails to adopt special-meeting agenda; board appointments left unfilled

At a May 12, 2025 special meeting, the La Plata Town Council was unable to adopt an agenda after a motion to amend was ruled out of order and a later motion to accept the agenda received no second, and the mayor adjourned the meeting before appointments to boards and commissions could be made.

The procedural dispute began when Councilman McCormick moved "to amend the agenda for tonight and to include the rules of procedure that the 4 town councilmen elect at the time sent to the town council and to the town employees," effectively proposing two sets of rules of procedure for the council to consider.

That motion was ruled out of order by the mayor, who said, "Under resolution 23 dash 0 1, revisions to the town council's rules of procedures may only be proposed and adopted during a regular meeting of the council. Tonight's meeting is classified as a special meeting, which by definition is limited to the scope of the items specified in the notice of the meeting. Because this is not a regular meeting, and because proposed changes to the rules of procedure were not noticed as part of this agenda, the motion to amend the agenda and considered such changes is out of order and cannot proceed." The mayor directed that any changes be brought at a properly noticed regular meeting in accordance with Resolution 23-01.

After the ruling, the mayor attempted to move to accept the agenda "as presented," but when the mayor said, "With no second, we cannot proceed with this meeting," the council could not act. The mayor described the practical consequence: "we do not have anybody serving on our boards or commissions because it must be done at this special meeting," and said she would "have to seek legal advice" before the council could move forward. She added, "they have, the oath that they just took is is in name only. They are not serving the people of La Plata if they can't even go through the first special meeting and be, on boards are commissioned. So I'm sorry to the 11,000 residents there, but the meeting is adjourned."

A council member inquired whether the motion could be made at the regular meeting the next day; the mayor replied, "As long as it follows the proper procedures." The transcript contains no recorded vote on either motion and no appointments were finalized during the special meeting.

The immediate outcome is procedural: the council did not adopt an agenda at the special meeting and did not complete the organizational actions referenced by the mayor (rules of procedure revisions and appointments to boards and commissions). The mayor indicated the council will seek legal advice and that any proposal to change rules of procedure must be made during a properly noticed regular meeting under Resolution 23-01.