CHANGES IN PROCEDURE WOULD AID COUNCIL WORK

The Cape Girardeau City Council will consider new procedural guidelines at its next meeting. The changes will affect both council members and the public. If adopted, this proposal should streamline future council meetings, and add a new sense of order, fairness and efficiency.

Frustration by both council members and the public spurred this critique of procedures. Public bodies must operate under rules of order so work can be accomplished. This proposal mirrors council guidelines followed by several other Missouri cities.

The changes were drafted by a subcommittee composed of Councilmen Melvin Gateley, Melvin Kasten and Al Spradling III. Gateley feels much of the conflict on the council stems from a lack of strict procedures to follow at meetings. It's a point well taken.

This proposal would require that agenda items be submitted to the city manager's office no later than the Wednesday prior to the next council meeting. This would avoid arguments over last-minute additions, and would allow all council members to be versed on agenda matters.

The new guidelines would allow late changes - but only if approved by the council at the time it adopts the agenda at the start of the meeting.

The proposal would also establish a single time for citizens to address the council - whether on agenda or non-agenda items. The plan would also limit each speaker to five minutes, which may be extended by consent of the council.

The idea is not to create a council of clock-watchers. This measure would not limit or prohibit the public's voice, but would make it more orderly. It would force those who approach the council to make their remarks concise. These guidelines also offer a measure of fairness since both sides of any issue must present their stance under the same time constraints.

The method of voting would also be clarified in the rules. It states that the typical method is a voice vote, but other methods include ballot or roll call. These methods would be administered by the city clerk, who conducts the roll call.

Once a matter is brought to the floor, discussion would be limited to council members, the mayor and the city manager under the proposed guidelines. That's as it should be. This is a time for decisions - not banter between the audience and council.

The presiding officer would retain his responsibility to "maintain order and decorum, limit length and repetitive orations, but allow all interested parties an opportunity to discuss and present their position." These new guidelines should make the job of maintaining order much easier.

We urge the council to embrace these procedural changes. If both council members and the public are aware of the rules at the outset, meetings should proceed more effectively.