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Council tables ordinance on council liaisons after members seek more edits and a clean copy
Summary
An ordinance to establish council-member liaisons to boards and commissions was introduced and amended on the floor, then tabled for a later meeting after council members said prior requested edits had not been incorporated.
The Trenton City Council on March 4 introduced an ordinance that would formalize council-member liaison roles to certain boards and commissions, but after extended debate the council voted to table the measure to a later public meeting so sponsors can provide a revised clean copy.
Why it matters: The ordinance would change how council members serve as liaisons to boards and commissions, set terms for liaison appointments, and add reporting expectations. Council members said the draft returned to the floor did not reflect changes discussed at an earlier meeting and asked for clarifications before a final vote.
Council discussion focused on several specific provisions. Proposed changes agreed on the floor before the tabling included reducing the liaison term from a two-year term to a one-year term, removing a required liaison-report agenda item, and deleting language in a compliance section that allowed the council president to reassign a liaison for failure to perform duties. The sponsor and council vice president said the ordinance had been discussed previously and that some edits were intended to be made ahead of the meeting but were not incorporated; other council members urged tabling so the final text would reflect work already done.
Council Vice President moved and the council voted first to rescind a prior motion related to introduction and then to amend the ordinance on the record (one-year term; strike reporting requirement; remove section 5; remove section 7.2). Multiple members said they preferred a clean, edited document for the full council to review rather than making further edits in open session.
Final procedural action: Following amendment debate the council voted to table the ordinance until the next public meeting; the clerk recorded the motion carried. Council members stated the item will return for reintroduction as a first reading after the sponsor and clerk circulate the revised language for review.
The discussion illustrated a recurring complaint among members that changes requested at prior meetings were not reflected in the copy presented to the council, prompting a request for better document management ahead of votes.
