Public commentators urge clearer mayoral role, more time for EE 45 review and qualified Land Use Commission appointees

During the public-comment period at the May 5 Rules Committee meeting, three residents asked the committee to clarify the mayor’s role in council deliberations, to provide more time for public review of a lengthy draft of EE 45 and to confirm Land Use Commission nominees based on relevant professional qualifications.

The comments matter because the speakers said current practice differs from text in Robert’s Rules and in the city’s statements about council/manager government and because the Land Use Commission’s decisions affect property and development review.

Paul Breslin told the committee that Robert’s Rules contains seemingly contradictory language about an ex-officio presiding officer’s rights and said the inconsistency “needs to be resolved.” He also said he did not think the mayor “should be allowed to change a 4-3 majority vote in council to a tie,” arguing that while Robert’s Rules permits a mayoral vote in some circumstances, the practice is undesirable in a small deliberative body. In his words: “Robert's rule says that an ex officio member of council has the same rights as the other members which presumably would include participating in debate and voting but as presiding member, he quote does not enter into discussion of merits of pending questions.”

Mary Rosinski said she supported Breslin’s remarks and asked the council to provide clearer and earlier summaries of rule changes so the public has time to review them. She requested 14 days for the community to review a new draft of EE 45, saying the version under consideration is 77 pages and residents have previously been given only 48 hours to review long documents.

Linda Damashek asked that any new draft of the comprehensive plan or other substantial drafts be posted with a new hearing and public testimony, and she similarly urged at least 14 days for review. She also urged the council to appoint Land Use Commission nominees who have demonstrable experience in real estate, development or architecture; she specifically asked the council to reconsider not reappointing George Halleck (spelled Halleck in the transcript) to the commission because, she said, he “has very ably demonstrated his ability to be very thoughtful and thorough.”

Those public commenters asked the rules committee to address three points: clarify the mayor’s role and voting in the rules, guarantee adequate public review time for major draft documents (they suggested 14 days) and confirm Land Use Commission nominees based on professional qualifications rather than interest alone. The Rules Committee did not vote on policy in response to public comment but the requests were recorded for committee consideration in the ongoing rules review.