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City attorney says council cannot ‘reconsider’ ordinances already signed; council withdraws motions to reconsider 9, 10 and 11
Summary
After public comment and legal explanation, City Attorney Nicodemus told the Whitehall City Council that once the mayor signed ordinances they could not be reconsidered; the council untabled ordinances 9–11 and then voted to withdraw motions to reconsider, leaving any changes to future repeal or amendment or a referendum.
City Attorney Nicodemus advised the Whitehall City Council on June 3 that motions to reconsider ordinances 9, 10 and 11 are not available once the mayor has signed the ordinances and the petitions that triggered a referendum have been certified.
“Counsel can't reconsider these ordinances because the moment the mayor signed them, they became an active law,” Nicodemus said, adding that council’s remaining options are to “rescind them or to amend them with future ordinances.” He explained the distinction between a law that is enacted and one that is in effect, noting certain charter and state procedural timelines.
The council then moved through procedural steps on the…
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