Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Civic Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council debate over Regional Housing Council appointment exposes tensions among members
Summary
Council members flagged a dispute over proposed lead appointments to the Regional Housing Council: Councilmember Cox publicly objected to the nomination of 'Nick' citing temperament concerns; other council members defended his eligibility. The appointments will be finalized at next week’s council meeting.
During review of intergovernmental board appointments, Councilmember Cox objected to a proposed lead appointment to the Regional Housing Council and urged an alternative primary/alternate arrangement.
Cox said he objected to naming Nick as lead, citing prior council conduct, and suggested allowing a different member to serve as lead with the objecting member as alternate. Councilmember Greenstein responded that "anyone on this council is fit and eligible to serve on any of these committees" and said diverse voices can be valuable on regional panels. Councilmember Dunning and others also spoke about the need for openness to differing viewpoints and the importance of representation on regional bodies.
The chair said the assignments are not final and will return to the next council meeting for a final vote; staff noted several boards require prompt representation and asked councilors to resolve conflicts quickly so the city is not left without appointees.
