Idea nixed to change commission meetings
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According to the resolution, the commission had been meeting quarterly until passing a resolution on Jan. 27, 2002 when monthly meetings were instated. This was done, in part, because it was taking too long to pass important legislation, particularly if a resolution was tabled until the next meeting, in which case it would take at least three months before the legislation could be voted on again.
Supporters of the resolution pointed out even though monthly meetings allow the commission to react more speedily on legislation, it was also causing some problems, as noted in the wording of the resolution which read, in part: “This has caused total chaos in scheduling committee meetings, issuing committee reports, drafting resolutions, and preparing the meeting agenda.”
The resolution went through a couple of amendments on its way to a vote. Commissioner Carl Hulett made an amendment for the commission to meet every other month, instead of every three months. Commissioner Bill Zechman made an amendment to table the resolution completely.
Zechman’s amendment failed, 15-9, and Hulett’s failed, 12-12, since it takes a majority vote to amend a resolution.
The original resolution, to meet every three months, subsequently failed by a 21-3 roll call vote.