We had an interesting conversation at last nights Council Meeting. There was a last minute item added to the agenda. Moving several public hearings slated for November because two or three council Members would be gone deer hunting. There are two disturbing problems with this item.
First the people who would be gone did not in writing ask for the item to be discussed….it was simple “raised” as an issue in the Mayor & Staff meeting prior to the Council Meeting. When I ask for an item to be discussed I have to submit a formal written request by the due date a week before the meeting, as every citizen must do. This standard is a good one. I am however the only member of Council that is forced to follow this standard. The Mayor pulled the same stunt at the first January meeting this year. He planned a vacation at the same time of a Council Meeting and had staff remove virtually all business from the agenda until his return. This is outrageous. If a member of Council or the Mayor chooses not to fulfill their duty and go on vacation or some other activity that is their choice. The City and Council should not be manipulated to suit their personal desire. The Council meets every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the Month. Plan your activities and vacations around the meeting schedule. I do.
The other issue is Council attendance. It is one thing to miss a meeting if you are sick or have a family emergency, but to miss because you planned another activity on the same night is ridiculous. The Mayor’s planned miss of a November meeting will be his second this year. Council Member Johnson also intends to miss another meeting. He missed all meetings in January so this will be his 3rd missed meeting. A few meetings may not seem like a lot, but 2 meetings is 8.3% of all Council meetings. Council Member Johnson’s 3 missed are 12.5% of all meetings. If you want to be voted to elective office you better make sure you can make the commitment. I never missed a meeting and would never plan to miss a meeting. Members also get paid whether they show up or not.
A typical meeting schedule for a month is as follows:
2 Council meetings
1 workshop meeting
1 Board/Commission Meeting
Possibly 1 or 2 Committee meetings depending Council assignment
When I stated last night that manipulating the Council schedule because members choose not to attend a meeting is ridiculous, Council Member Johnson once again tried to shout me down. When I was about to respond the Mayor called out of order and the item collapsed under its own pathetic weight.
There is real work that needs to get done. Consider this when you vote for your Council and Mayoral Candidates.
About Me
- George
- I have served the City of Isanti as Mayor since 2007. We have accomplished great things together and I look forward to building on our success. United, we move forward to a better future. You may contact me at 763-442-8749 or e-mail me at george@georgewimmer.com.
9 comments:
So if a counsil member or the mayor is not at the meeting and a vote needs to take place, how does that work? Does it get delayed. Does it just not work?
If there are at least three members then we vote....if there are two or less then it is as if the meeting never happened.
It is important that all members be present unless there is an illness or family emergency. The issue of only 4 members attending is the problem of tie votes. A tie vote is the same a no vote.
I saw we let Johnson and Mayor take all of the meetings "off" They can go on vacation now. That why they can see how it will feel come November 7th.
clean up the council
do they just show up when iverson wants them there
Deer Hunting...you have to be kidding me!!! Grow up boys and take responsibility for the choices you have made. Serving the public is a duty you have taken on willingly. It would not be the end of the world if they missed a night of deer hunting. I think I will request something outrageous from the city that night, maybe it will pass!
George, I believe you left out the third person on the council who also requested time off for deer hunting. Could that be you failed to mention him as he supports your "Good Ole Boy" group? I also would like to know where the funds will be coming for your mosquito control, your police investigator, and your internet access/audio taping of the council meetings.....Enquiring minds would love to know.....
Ok we will start with your questions from last years budget. The Police Investigator would have been hired instead of the $54,000 Administrative Assistant position.
We are finally getting cost quotes for mosquito control so we know the full cost associated and any sharing of cost possibilities.
The city already has a website and already records all the meetings. There is no extra cost involved except for the brief time needed to set the upload. This is increadible cheap to give the Citizens the chance to hear their public officilas in action.
I assume you are refering to Mr. Kennedy. He is the one of the three that said he would make sure there is a qurom so the City can get its business done. He stepped upped. The Mayor was the only one in the discussion with staff when it was decided to place on the agenda.
If you are truely concerned about where the money comes from...did you ask the current Mayor why he approved a budget last year that increased city spending by over 30% including the $54,000 for an Administrative Assistant.
This year he voted for 6% increase in City spending. I voted against both these budgets. City spending is out of control......I laid out specific budget this year to cut cost and return the excess in taxes and fees from last year.
You seem to be supporting the Mayor in your tone of questions. Wouldn't it be nice to know what he thinks..what he is specificly planning to do. That is no where to be found. I give open access to supporters and critics alike.
I answer questions and tell Isanti's Citizens how and why I vote and what my goals are. Lets hear and see what he has to say.
I just hope you hold him to the standard you are holding me to. It is easy to simply smile and say nothing and just go around trying to be everyone's friend. We have hard work to do. Lets get it done together.
Hey George... What has happened to freedom of SPEECH... which by the way includes TYPE!!!!! You approve comments??? what is up with that.. pretty onesided if you ask me!!!! So I take it only YOUR family and friends comments are put on this page so YOU come out smelling like a rose.. well I and many others smell something else and it is not roses my friend... IN all honesty YOU should put up all comments.. I mean it is a small small small small town that you will be the mayor of.. reminds me of MAYBERRY RFD.. looking for GOOBER?? I think YOU found him in the mirror this morning!!!!!!!!!!! blah blah blah!
the comments that have not been posted contain profanity or wild accusations.....if you have a disagreement about a position of mine let me know and we can discuss it.
The basic rules I have set up deal with civility not content....
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