Longview council approves consent agenda including downtown land lease and resolution appointing John Newstead mayor pro tem

The Longview City Council approved its consent agenda Tuesday, including a lease for city-owned land downtown and a resolution electing Council Member John Newstead as mayor pro tem.

Council Member Sydney Allen asked to pull part of the consent agenda for discussion and raised a question about a downtown parcel the city owns next to the post office. Allen said the annual rent listed in the agenda "is a reasonable amount, 12,800 annually," and that he had been concerned the lease might be inflexible. "With the way the lease is written, if something comes up that we need the land, we can cancel the lease or we can partially use it," Allen said.

Staff present at the meeting, including Sean Harrah, confirmed the lease preserves the city—lexibility to cancel if a municipal need arises. A later agenda item in the consent package was a resolution "electing and appointing Council Member John Newstead as mayor pro tem." A council member asked how the mayor pro tem is selected; staff explained the council rules designate the longest-serving member who has not previously served in that role.

A motion to approve the consent agenda was made, seconded and approved by voice vote. The transcript records the chair saying, "All in favor, please say aye," followed by "Aye" and "Any opposed? Consent agenda is approved." The meeting then moved into community items and later adjourned to executive session.

The meeting record does not show a roll-call vote or individual tallies for the consent items in the transcript.