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East Ridge council passes first reading to limit service on advisory boards, narrows exception to planning commission
Summary
At its Jan. 23 meeting the East Ridge City Council passed first reading of Ordinance 1214, amending prior rules to bar council members from serving on most appointed boards and to limit any individual to serving on a single board (Planning Commission excepted). The ordinance will return for a required second reading.
East Ridge City Council on Jan. 23 approved first reading of Ordinance 1214, an amendment to Ordinance 1132 intended to restrict how many appointed boards a single person may serve on and to remove council members from serving on most city boards, with the Planning Commission carved out as a state-mandated exception.
The measure, introduced during the council’s regular meeting, was amended on a motion to limit all individuals to serving on one appointed board. Council member Ezell framed the change as a move to broaden citizen representation: “concentrating the power into the hands of a few city council members is kind of the wrong idea and count antithetical to the intent of 1132,” he said.
Supporters of the amendment argued that residents, rather than sitting council members, should hold most appointed seats so that community voices are not overshadowed by elected officials. Opponents said the change could make it harder to fill boards. One council member objected that removing council members from boards could be “a disjustice to the city” because it will require more recruiting of citizen volunteers.
Procedural history and next steps: Council member Cagle moved to table the ordinance for further discussion; that tabling motion failed on a 2–3 roll call (Vice Mayor Tyler: No; Council member Cagle: Yes; Council member Ezell: Yes; Council member Witt: No; Mayor Williams: No). Council member Ezell then moved — and Vice Mayor Tyler seconded — an amendment to set the maximum at one board per person (with the Planning Commission as the exception). The amendment passed on a 4–1 roll call (Tyler: Yes; Cagle: Yes; Ezell: Yes; Witt: No; Mayor Williams: Yes). The council then voted to approve Ordinance 1214 on first reading as amended (vote: Tyler Yes; Cagle Yes; Ezell Yes; Witt Yes; Mayor Williams Yes). Mayor Williams noted the ordinance will require a second reading before taking effect.
What the ordinance does and limits: As discussed in council, the draft language updates the city code to (1) prevent sitting council members from holding seats on appointed boards except where state law requires the appointment (the Planning Commission) and (2) restrict any individual to service on a single appointed board. The council directed staff to update the ordinance language to reflect the amendment and to present it again for second reading.
Council members said they would consider further drafting clarifications before the next reading so the final code language matches the council’s intent. No effective date was adopted; the measure must return for a second reading and adoption at a future council meeting.
Ending: Because the ordinance passed only first reading, the restriction does not take effect until after the council completes the second reading and adopts the ordinance. Staff said they will present the revised caption and text at the next meeting so the council can complete the required second reading and final vote.
