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Council authorizes censure resolution after motions to change police discipline and defund positions fail
Summary
Council member Fred Burton proposed ordinances to require council approval to terminate police officers and to eliminate or defund positions; both motions failed for lack of a second. Later, Council member Jones moved to direct the attorney to draft a censure resolution, which passed by roll call (4–1, Burton recorded as 'Nay').
Council member Fred Burton proposed multiple personnel-related ordinances and motions, but both efforts to change police termination authority and to authorize elimination/defunding of positions died for lack of a second.
Burton said he believed too much power rested with a single official and proposed an ordinance requiring council approval before termination of police officers; the motion "died for lack of a 2nd." He later proposed an ordinance to eliminate or defund positions that were filled without council approval; that motion also failed for lack of a second. "Motion dies for lack of a 2nd," the transcript records for the first item.
Following discussion, Council member Jones moved to have the city attorney assemble a resolution addressing conduct and to draft what was repeatedly referred to in the meeting as a 'censorship' (censure) resolution. The motion was seconded, and a roll-call vote was taken. When the mayor called the roll, Council member Burton answered "Nay." The mayor summarized the vote as "There are 4 I 1 nay. The the motion passes." The council therefore authorized staff to work on a censure resolution.
Provenance: Council member motions and roll-call vote recorded during member agenda requests (item 8).
