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Heated exchange involving Alderman Sanders prompts council adjournment during consent agenda
Summary
A council meeting was disrupted during the consent agenda by repeated outbursts from Alderman Sanders; the council recorded a consent-agenda vote and then voted 7-0 to adjourn after the disturbance prevented an auditor presentation.
The city council's meeting was interrupted during the consent agenda on SEG 001–051 when Alderman Sanders repeatedly spoke out of turn, prompting warnings from the presiding Chair and calls to restore order. The Chair asked the clerk to take the roll on the consent agenda, and the clerk announced the consent agenda had been approved, though the clerk's announced tallies included both "4 to 1 to 1 abstention" and later "5 to 1."
The disruption continued after the consent vote. Alderman Sanders told the chamber, "Y'all don't know what the **** y'all doing here," and other participants exchanged sharp words. The Chair said, "If this is what we're gonna continue, then I'm just gonna ask for an adjournment because this is...this is a circus," and asked officers and staff to restore order so planned business could proceed. The Chair also noted that an auditor presentation would proceed only if order was restored.
A staff member with security responsibilities repeatedly asked Alderman Sanders to stand and to leave if he would not comply with commands to be orderly. Sanders challenged the staff member, asking whether he was planning to arrest him; the staff member reiterated the request to leave. The exchange prevented the scheduled auditor presentation from proceeding.
With the meeting unable to move forward, Alderman Schadl moved to adjourn; Alderman Sellers seconded. The clerk took a roll call on the motion to adjourn and the council voted 7-0 to adjourn. The clerk announced the motion passed 7 to 0 and the meeting was adjourned.
