City Council - Regular Meeting

Tell this like Oh, I

I'm doing the best I can. together a little bit better. [crying] Let's That's right. We had a lot of

[snorts]

Thank you for joining. We'll let the people in the meeting know that you're here. Microsoft. [snorts]

[clears throat]

Yes, it's inconcious. wouldn't want to bow out for the Um, and introducing the presiding officer, the mayor of the city of Wasa, Doug Denny,

Carol Lukans, District 1. [crying] Michael Martins's District 2. Terry Kellian, District 3.

Tom Neil, District 4.

[crying] [laughter] Andrew Wiscowski, District 5.

Kristen Slonsky, District 6. Matt Heni, District 7.

Sarah Watson, District 8. Vicky Tierney, District 9. [laughter]

Lou Larson, District 10. Bruce True Blood, District 11. Forward. Please rise and remain standing for the posting of the colors detail. Prepare to post. arms.

Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Quarter

arms ready for march. Okay. Thank you. Alders remain standing. Everyone else can sit. We'll be the clerk will issue the oath of office. All right. For those who did not hear the instructions, perhaps there are two sheets of paper in front of you. A really fancy piece of paper. That's your certificate of election. You will are able to keep that. I have a copy of that. Um, and then a less fancy piece of paper in front of you, and that is your oath of office. If you want to pick that up now and follow along, um, you're welcome to. Um, otherwise, just repeat after me and raise your right hand. [crying]

Who have been elected to the office of district and for the city of Wasa and for the city of Wasa in Marathon County in Marathon County for a term ending April 18th, 2028 for a term ending April 18th, 2028 but have not yet entered upon the duties thereof, but have not yet entered upon the duties thereof. Swear or affirm swear or affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States. And I will support the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin, the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin,

and the municipal the municipal code of the city of Wasa, and the municipal code of the city of Wasa, and will faithfully and impartially and will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of this office discharge the duties of this office to the best of my ability. to the best of my ability. So help me God. So help me God. Congratulations. And then I will have you all sign that and I can come around and collect that in a little bit.

All right, we already knocked off the pledge of allegiance with our honor guard. Thank you, Captain Paul's and the uh police department honor guard. And congratulations. Welcome. Let's uh take a roll. Make sure we have a quorum here, Cody. So we get you should get the green button to join the meeting. Not seeing it yet. [clears throat] when I need to be able to see everything that's going on.

Okay. Just shut All right, there are 11 voting members present. Okay, first item up item or the third item up is common council elections and the first item for election is Wasau common council president and I would open the floor for nominations. Do we have nominations? Alder Tierney.

I nominate Terry Killian. We have a nomination for Tyrion uh Terry Killian. Are there any other nom? Would you accept that nomination? Okay. Alder Lukans, we have a nomination for Alder Martins. Alder Martins, do you accept? I accept. Are there any other nominations? Once again, are there any other nominations for council president? Okay. So I will take entertain a motion to close nominations. I'll make the motion.

Second from Larson to close nominations. All in favor of closing nominations signify by saying I. I. I. Any opposed? Okay. So that'll close nominations. We have Alder Kelling and Alder Martins. And at this time we'll take it in the order of nomination. you will have an opportunity to to make a statement. Alder Killian,

I guess um I was asked if I would consider this uh nomination and I said I would. I understand that the council president has two responsibilities. The first responsibility is to be the chair of committees of the whole and the second one is to stand in when the mayor mayor is unable to carry out certain of his responsibilities that would be per his request or however that would happen. In the past, I think our council president has had more of a position of power and to my understanding, the council president is on the same level as every other alder. The only difference is that they have two particular responsibilities. So, um, I would accept the nomination based on that understanding.

Thank you. And thank you. I'm honored to have the nomination. Thank you, Mr. Martins.

Thank you. Excuse. Thank you. I um I also am honored uh for your nomination of council president and it's the council president as as like Alder Killian said is has two formal duties. One is to chair a committee of the whole and also is to stand in uh for the in in the mayor's absence. something the mayor's absence is something I' I've probably only seen once or twice in my eight years here in the in the council. But um I I think also um the council president can be the anchor of the council and um not so much of pushing policy through but I see it as a collaboration uh the of us in on the council working together um work move trying to you know work um forward to make you know the city of Wasa a better place to to live, work and play and that would be my intentions as one as a collaborator between the ex, you know, the executive and the legislative here in the city of Wasa. So, thank you.

Okay. Thank you, Mr. Martins. So, I'll turn this over to the clerk. He will distribute the ballots. And the way this works is the first person, since we only have two, we very likely should get to six, but the first person who gets to six will be elected council president. And then once you get these, you can vote and it will come back.

Your Thank you. was

I was trying to do this. All right, with a vote of six to five, Terry Killian is the council president for the next term.

Congratulations, Miss Killian. Okay, up next, common council uh member uh nomination for planned commission. So, this is a council nomination. Uh last year we had uh Alder Watson was on plan commission, right? You're still on. We just had the plan commission a few minutes ago. So, we and we have uh one plan commission member is authorized uh by being on the parks committee. So we had we do have to elect one person for plan commission and I would entertain a motion for that uh role of plan commission as an alder appoint uh Mr. Larson.

I would like to aler I would like to nominate Alder Watson.

We have a nomination for Alder Watson. Would you accept that nomination? Any further nominations? further nominations for plan. Okay, seeing none, I would entertain a motion to close nominations and I think by unanimous consent we could accept Alder Watson's as the planned commissioner for for uh for the city of Wasau. So we hang on.

We can't do it by unanimous consent. Okay. So we're we're just going we are going to vote to clarify. So we we clo we have closing nominations.

Close nomination by Mr. True Blood. Second on closing nominations. Alder tierney. All in favor of closing nominations signify by saying I. I. I. Any opposed? Okay. So any opposed is a no. So that uh then we can do a non unanimous consent on accepting. All right. Thank you. By unanimous consent. Congratulations Alder Watson. Thank you everyone. Up next is the waterworks commission uh election of a council member uh for that duty would entertain a nomination. Alder Watson,

I would nominate um Alder Neil. Alder Neil, would you accept for water commission? Yes, thank you. We have a nomination for Alder Neil. Any further nominations? Alder Tierney. Alder Martins. Alder Martins, would you accept? I'll accept. Any further nominations for water commission? Seeing none, I would entertain a motion to close nominations. Motion from Watson, second from Tyranny to close nominations. All in favor of closing nominations signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? Okay. So, we will vote.

It's going to take a second. It's going to take a second. Cody's got to get the balance ready.

Okay. So, while Cody's collating that, if you'd like an opportunity to speak, uh, we'll take a few minutes. So, Alder Watson, you were first nominated. Tom, well, I wasn't expecting that. So, thank you. Appreciate it. I'm I'm interested in this uh issue. Obviously, I think the city's done great things in the last several years uh uh for our water utility. Uh it's a very important thing and uh I'd be very interested in in putting my hand in.

Thank you, Tom. Mr. Martins,

thank you for the nomination. I I sincerely appreciate it. And um yeah, the the water utility is is very important. I know there's there are we we still have big issues that we that as a council any utility uh need to face. Uh we've done some great things over the last few years uh with the upgrades to the water and wastewater plants and the lead service lines. I'd like to see uh you know like I said the utility uh moving moving forward and uh working hard to address our you know the the the issues that we still have at hand with the with the utility. [clears throat]

Thank you Mr. Martins. So, just as a reminder, there should be two candidates there if Cody crossed them out right. Martins and Neil select one

[clears throat]

Here. All right. And with a vote of 7 to four, Michael Martins is your council member of the Wasa Waterworks Commission.

Congratulations, Michael. Okay. Thanks. Thanks, Mike. All right. Up next under uh item four ordinances we have uh item two uh 02-0432 resolution from common council adopting Robert's rules of order and standing rules of the common council for 2026 2028. Uh an issue arose here in that uh in in part the our old system of agend of agenda management uh had a template that uh did not get transferred exactly as as intended. Um, so that presents a a little bit of a just a potential uh error in the agenda and I could let uh the city attorney or Cody uh explain that. Who wants to go first on that? Go ahead. Yeah. So, the item we're specifically talking about is the resolution for common council adopting Robert's rules of order and standing rules of common counsel. Um, so there was a resolution in your packet. Um, I I'm of the opinion that uh agenda item the way it's described as insufficient to provide notice um for that resolution um in order to uh well let me just step back here. So the standing rules are actually adopted in ordinance and so in order to change them um an ordinance would have to be brought forth amending the standing

rules. Um and I uh am of the opinion that uh by noticing in resolution uh adopting standing rules is insufficient to do that. Yeah. Mr. True Blood. So, are you saying we could amend the rules in this meeting or would it have to go to the rules committee?

No. No. Well, well, I can maybe I can give you some of the options here, but just just to clarify, notwithstanding any amendments that were suggested, this couldn't be this in the opinion of the of the city attorney was not properly uh on the agenda. So whether we made a single amendment or we decided to adopt the rules, it is not properly noticed because it is it is a ordinance not a resolution. It has nothing to do with with the other item that I recommended. So, your options are to either suspend the rules and take it up or put it push it to the 28th. Alder Lukans.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um but if we if it so if it was not properly agendaized then the other issue the other item on the agenda that does involve the rules doesn't it? So that would not be would not have was not fully agendaized. Correct.

Incorrect. Anything germanine to the rules could be discussed. Anything germanine similarly to the budget does not have to be itemized because we can't anticipate every possible amendment that someone would bring forward on it could you could strike one line. You could add items. Uh the crux of the issue as the assistant city attorney mentioned was uh [clears throat] it was listed as a resolution and it should have been as it was two years ago as an ordinance. Uh that didn't translate in our new civic plus.

Alder Gileian. Thank you Mr. Mayor. Can we just suspend the rules and choose to proceed? As the as the city attorney has said in the past, we can you this is council can suspend the rules and do pretty much anything you want, but I would defer to uh Mr. Benino to clarify anything if I misunderstood that. I I mean, I guess my issue is that it's less of a council rules issue and more of an open meetings law issue, if that makes sense. that I I just don't think it meets the notice requirement under open meetings law. Thank you,

Mr. Neil. Yes, thank you. Uh could I make a motion possibly to uh address these two items uh separately for starters and deal like with the the Robert's rules first and then then we can talk about what we can or can't do with the standing rules of the council. Again, I'll have to defer. I do believe that uh we never in the past issu indicated Robert's rules because Robert's rules are already a subset of our standing rules.

Go ahead, Vinnie. So, uh, the issue we have here today is that, um, at some point, um, it seems the last time, uh, there was really any changes was 2022, actually. But, um, that common council adopted the standing rules as an ordinance. And so within that, they've also adopted Robert's rules. And so those standing rules are in place until there's amendment um either repealing, recreating, um you know, changing them in in whatever fashion that that you wish. But um so it's going forward the rules, there's still rules in place. It's the ones that are from the previous council. Um it's just that the way it's agendaized is uh adopting them through resolution um just doesn't give proper notice that we're amending an or the ordinance changing these rules.

Um I think I had Watson up first. Wat Alder Watson. Yeah, I I have my um ask to speak anyway. Um, so it sounds like the ordinance is already there. This is like um a moot point. We don't really need to vote on something that already exists as as an intermediate code, it sounds like to me. Um, so if we need to change it, wouldn't that be the rule the like I guess the work of the rules review committee to change it for the 2628 because it's in it's codified in law right now. They're in ordinance.

No. And I've we had a discussion on that matter. It's it's been precedent. It's it is it is the incoming council's obligation to adopt and set the rules for the upcoming year. Uh where that

to get my my time back though. Um, I mean, I think at that point though, like passing or like adopting them now is is not like adopting our council rules, like our 26 28 council rules, cuz there's at least four people on here that haven't had a chance to look at them or weigh in on them in a substantive basis. So, if we're adopting these, I mean, maybe we should wait until we have a rules review committee um so that our our newbies can weigh in on what those rules are. Um otherwise we are should we should be at the mercy of our rules that we passed before that are in ordinance. So thank you. I'm done.

Thank you. Well and I appreciate having that opportunity to uh to have further time to study it because I I remember when I came on the first opportunity or the first I was made familiar with the rules was at the opening meeting and the packet. So it is a lot to get your head around. However, it sets the rules as we move forward and it sets the committees as we move forward. If we wait into a into May to get the rules established, uh we've already then you know started this session with uh a set of committees that could change

and maybe perhaps this is a thing that like county I know sets the rules for the next session. Maybe that's what we should get in practice to do going forward. I mean, in past practice, we've always had it, you know, I mean, we've we've maybe it's more ceremonial that we've approved Robert's rules and our standing rules, but like maybe we have to start doing a different process going forward so that it's it's not we're not behind the eight-ball when we want to start to get to work.

Valid suggestion. Uh we're here now, Mr. Neil. Well, uh since uh effectively there are no committees at this point that have been named or approved, uh that means there's no calendar dates for committees going forward. Uh until such time as we have adopted committee structure through ordinance or whatever minations we have to use. Um, seeing as we don't really have uh conflicts on calendar, why can't we just set a special council meeting uh in quick order to come back and address this uh correctly?

That's a great suggestion, Mr. or Alder Lukans. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, wouldn't we have the committee appointments anyway, though, because the mayor makes the committee appointments? The mayor appoints us to committee. That is correct. So you I mean we don't have to wait for for that. You can appoint us to committees. Correct. We don't have to wait for another meeting. Sure. That it feels a little illogical. I do I do prefer Oh, go ahead. What

I think Mr. Neil's suggestion we could either do it on the 28th. We have no committee meeting scheduled between now and then. Or we could do something like a Thursday night. Well, okay. So, what does that mean? I guess it means we postpone this this item. We'll put it on uh Cody will fix the agenda. Post it tomorrow, even tonight for Thursday night meeting or Tuesday, I mean the 28th. Well, but our standard procedure has always been that the mayor appoints the committees, but there's he hasn't done that yet.

I know, but we he always just appoints it appoints them. Okay. We just don't know. We have not finalized what committees there will be. Okay. And that is what I have a problem with because I will not that needs to be that's a larger discussion that's proposing the pointer of the rules. That's what I'm proposing we do is address that issue with a cow or something like that in in the correct manner a week from today. Okay. Alder Neil a motion. Alder Slansky.

Thank you. So, as I'm understanding it, ordinance 2.16.010 010 has been codified into law and it does provide in rule uh 13B

13B um and rule 13 A and B that the mayor shall appoint members to each of the standing committees on the third Tuesday of April the meeting of the newly elected council. So I'm in agreement with Alder Watson that this is a point is already law. It's already there and we're not proposing to amend it. We can't change it without without noticing it. But we're not proposing to change it. We're just proposing to follow it as written into law. Isn't that accurate? No, we can't act on it at all. We can't accept it. We can't amend it. We can't act on it. It's in

I don't believe we need to accept it. It's already codified. No, Vinnie. I just was going to say, yeah, so because it was adopted by ordinance, those rules are the council rules until you change them. So, we're governed by those rules until there's another ordinance saying we're not. So, can I Alder Watson? Oh, so I guess I guess that sort of answered my question cuz I guess I was

I didn't know if there was like a suns setting of our council rules in the ordinance or like why the ordinance wouldn't still hold even if we did a resolution. So I mean I think um the attorney answered my question that they are in the municipal code as is now. We don't have to make any action to adopt them. They are there. So we just have to follow them. Correct. Okay. Thank you. Alder Lukans.

Thank you Mr. Mayor. That was my point that since we already have this then it is that the mayor is supposed to give the committee appointments on the third Tuesday. Thank you for um bringing that up. So that was my point. We should not have to wait for another meeting because that is that is what the ordinance is. So those should be appointed. Now whether if we go forward and decide we want to address look at the committees that can be down the road but we do have we shouldn't have to put off committee meetings because we do have work to do for the residents of Wasau. So that was my point.

Thank you. And to Alder Alder Neil's point we have no committee meeting scheduled between now and the 28th. But it doesn't matter because we should because the committees are supposed to be appointed on the third Tuesday so that if you would appoint the committees, you know, we can go ahead with that. Okay. So, let's dispense with this. We're not taking it up. Is that Mr. Troublood? If if the rules exist, what's the purpose of the resolution anyway?

I mean, what are we changing? It is precedent that we have that we accept the rules as part of the organization or the organizing of the new council. Correct. So if it is part of that process just like the swearing in and everything else. I'm not sure why that would require I mean is it because it's a resolution and not a it's it's the wording that was put on the agenda that's the problem if it appears to be the case. I see. Mr. Chair, Mr. Neil,

uh, I'm considering rescending my motion. Uh, I I think, uh, we should possibly just table this, you maybe permanently. Um, I'm not saying postpone it. I'm saying table it. Uh, you know, maybe by consensus we can all agree that, you know, we will adhere to the established rules that have already been codified. uh give it our rubber stamp, you know, of consensus, consensus approval without official action, if you will, and just go on.

Okay. Motion to table. Do we have a second to table resolution? Well, we actually never took a a a motion or a second to take it up. Point of order. If it was properly noticed, sorry, if it wasn't properly noticed, I don't think we can even move to table it, can we? It It's just moved. Is it?

Okay. So, well, we've we've we've established that if people wanted to talk about it and we've been discussing it for some time. So, uh had had we made the decision a little more concisely, we would be moving on. So, at this point, we have we have uh and I guess I could I could move or uh without objection, we will not take this item up. Anyone left to speak? Alder Killian.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I was just wondering, was this a clerical error? If it was a clerical error, I know we've corrected clerical errors in the past. Can't they be corrected or is that something that we can't move forward with? I mean, it's tradition that we do this that the new council members and the new council accept the rules. I believe that's what we typically do at this organizational meeting. Um,

it is precedent, but I would defer to the clerk. Is that a question? I'm I just wondered if if it if it's a clerical error because of a of a word. Can it be corrected? Vinnie,

uh it it depends on the nature of of the clerical error. Um if it's something that really kind of doesn't change like you know a third person's understanding of what's going to be done or discussed at the meeting, that's fine. you know, if a word's omitted or something like that or um you know, something along that lines. But um at least in my opinion, I just think this is kind of uh a little too much, if that makes sense. Thank you,

Mr. Wowski.

Yeah, correct me if I'm wrong. Is my understanding correct that we just operate under the existing rules until we decide to revise, edit, change these rules and then go through the proper procedures, you know, entailed with that. There are methods for changing rules mid midterm. The precedent is for you to adopt the rules moving forward. this body should adopt the rules move. This isn't this isn't that big of an ask here, but I'm I'm I'm going to allow you to decide how you do that. If if we don't have objection, we'll move on and we'll put it down the road.

Mr. Neil, if I may. So, what does that what does the future look like then starting tomorrow if we just, you know, pass over this? We pass over it and we move on to the uh appointment of city WASA boards by the mayor and the appointments to committees will not happen. Well, we haven't gotten to that yet. So, let's take them one at a time. I'm talking about standing committees as they're listed in the rules standing rules of the of the council. That's part of the council rules is a listing of the seven standing committees,

right? So starting tomorrow is that do we go underneath that assumption that there are still seven standing committees and and they will be appointed by you?

We'll get to that when we get to that. So let let's dispense with that without objection. We'll move on to suspension of the rules for item uh for rule 6B filing and 12A referral of resolutions and that is 26-042 confirming appointments of the mayor of the city of WASA to boards, commissions and committees as indicated. These are in your packet. These are the non-standing uh rules. I would entertain a motion. Point of order. Are we moving to suspend the rules? We are moving I'm sorry I got ahead of it. We are moving

I'm looking for a motion to suspend the rules under 6B or 12A referral of resolutions. And it would be that item because it's the only item under suspension of the rules. There's two items under there. There's one item. Two items. Okay. I'm sorry. I would like to You're getting me a little flustered here because this uh this was a completely unnecessary uh girration, but here we are. Motion from Watson, second from Mr. True Blood. Any discussions?

You may vote. Kristen, you want to hit save? There we go. Motion passes 11 to zero.

Okay. under suspension of the of rules is uh all right. Item 26 or file 26-0402 confirming appointments of the mayor of the city of Wasa to boards, commissions, and committees as indicated. would entertain a motion. Alder Kian, Alder, we'll go to on the new guy. Hanky, I've requested to speak. Heni on on this item or the Yes, this item. Did you second that?

So, we need a second. Okay. Watson, and we'll let him speak. Sorry. Um, so in in regards to confirming the appointments, Mr. Mayor, um, seeing, uh, obviously the publication and your interest in consolidating the committees as well as conversations I've had with department heads about a similar interest in wanting to, um, promote greater efficiency within city hall. Um, I do not feel comfortable supporting and would not be in support of confir confirming appointments to any of the committees until this council newly elected has the opportunity to discuss the merits of consolidation of the committees from 6:00 to 4.

Okay. And thank you for that. I I will say though this item doesn't affect that that because these are the non-standing committees. So when we get to that maybe I'll let you speak to that. Thank you. Anyone else? All right, you may vote.

Motion passes 11 to zero. [clears throat] Okay. Next up is uh an a perennial fund one is 0 file 020434 is a resolution from the common council designating the official newspaper. Would entertain a motion from Watson. Second from Slotsky. Alder Watson.

Thank you. Um I'm probably hopping in on Alder Neil's thing. I think we should still have WASA Pilot and some of the digital people. Um, but I'm going to totally let you take it over, but I think I think we have to we have to be cognizant of the fact that um a lot of people consume our stuff in the in the digital realm. So, um I don't know if it's possible to put it on as a second um or not, but thank you. Well, my comment was that yeah, the sadly the circulation of, you know, the official paper is is very slim, whereas like the pilot review has like, you know, 37,000 followers. Um, but they they don't qualify because they're not a printed subscriberbased uh publication. I would just say that sure with as this as a matter of form let's approve uh the Daily Herald as being the official paper uh but also any anything that we issue to them we also issue to the pilot and review uh just to get it out there in a more effective manner.

Okay. I'm going to ask the city attorney or Maryanne to weigh in on it. One of the one of the things we do with this the the daily heralds is we pay for that service. So I I would have to confer with someone and or the pilot review to see what their capacity would be to do that because if we sent it to them with the expectation that they would publish it in every case. Um I think that would just be up to them. I mean we offer to them you know they're not the official outlet. But uh there was a comment uh on the pilot. I think it was today talking about tonight's agenda and on this very topic and said that you know they are not qualified you know because they're not subscriber base. Um like the Daily Herald is uh so I kind of read between the lines and I kind of felt like they wish they could be an outlet for our official information. So we should certainly pass this and then make that offer to pilot review to see if they want to be an adjunct to our uh communication. So I we could direct the clerk to reach out to the pilot and review and see if that's acceptable in in addition to

for free at no cost.

Um I believe the pilot and review is already subscribed to so they get notified every time there is a meeting just the same as the Daily Herald does. Um the state statutes require that anybody who requests to be um subscribed to our email list that we send that out. Um, the only difference is then I have to send an additional email specifically to the Daily Herald. So, it's pretty much the difference between an automatic email going out to the pilot and a specific email that I send out to the Daily Herald as a record that we fulfilled the open record or open meetings laws. Okay. Further comments on that? All right. With a motion and a second to adopt. Did you want to add something or Okay. To adopt the Wasa Daily Herald as our official notice newspaper with added uh instructions to staff to to seek out other as Cody mentioned with this pilot. Uh signify by saying I. Oh, I'm sorry.

You may vote. Wrong meeting.

All right, motion passes 10 to one. All right, up next, uh, communications and recommendations from the mayor. Mayor's appointments to standing committees for the 2026 2028 common council term. And without objection, I'll hold those until we uh have our meeting on the 28th where I can uh we can take a look at the recommended uh efficiency suggestions that have come from staff, have come from alders, and have come from me that we would uh bring before the council at the next council meeting.

Excuse me. So um that doesn't require us a vote to to reschedu that. You you just schedule the meeting yourself? I mean, I made the motion earlier, but we didn't second it or vote on it. We already have a scheduled meeting on the 28th. Is that correct, Tony? 28th. Next week. That's next week. It's 28th. So, there is the uh standing fourth. That's our regularly scheduled meeting. That is correct. Okay. All right. So seeing no objection and by consensus then we would is there a push to talk Sarah?

I did. Yes. Thank you. Um I just had a question though. Um finance typically meets that fourth Tuesday as well. So they would have a meeting um coming up. Um and then well police and fire I think have already been appointed. So um so um director is indicating they're not meeting. Is that I thought that because there wouldn't be a committee. Okay. So, there isn't a meeting at F for finance. There wouldn't be a regularly scheduled meeting.

Wait. Okay. Oh. Um as a because I didn't withdraw my request this week. Is this um going to be the rules review committee that's going to meet next week then or is it a council and then can we act on it? This would be a council item. We'll we'll make sure that it is properly done is has all the information in there has uh all the information in it has the minimum information maximum information whatever you want.

I would hope maximum just so that we all can be clear on what's what's the proposal um and hopefully that can be in the packet or communicated to us um prior to the meeting. That would be great to be able to know what the proposal is. Um, I just I definitely want to get some work done for the the city. So, the sooner we can get these committees figured out, that would be great. So, are you ready to eat cake? Uh, we have announcements on the Oh, look. I'm sorry, Cody doesn't have me in the meeting. Go ahead.

Thank you. Um I I uh following what Alder Swansky had said earlier because this was this is in the ordinance. I'm asking that we do have the committees appointed because who knows what you know by putting it off I who knows what we'll come up with at that point and so I guess that's just my concern that I kind of feel like it's already been decided and I'm feeling like things are already have already been decided without a voices involved.

Can you clarify when you say what what has been decided? Well, I I mean I I'm just asking that we follow the usual order of business which would be following the ordinance and having the committees appointed now so that we could figure out we could start getting to work on this because that will put it off, you know, another week. And then and when is that? Next week. That was a

a week from tonight. You know, I guess I'm I'm just asking that we follow the the usual order of business and that committees are appointed and then if we decide if those are decided to be changed later, then that happens. But again, I mean, I think that that's a pretty big decision and that needs everyone needs to have some time to do their research. So, um I'm I'm just not comfortable. I would I'm just requesting respectfully that the committees be appointed the committee appointments be done tomorrow or whatever and then we go from there. And if we end up changing things, then we end up changing things.

Okay. So, as I indicated, without objection, we would postpone this. However, it sounds like you're objecting. Okay. So, what we would do is uh is we would entertain a motion to suspend the rules, rule 13B, to send this uh down the road to next week and not uh issue those appointments. And that would require a twothirds vote. So, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Sure. So, I would take that as a motion to suspend the rules. Would would take a second. Point of order. Yes.

According to the rules, or at least what the council has traditionally adopted, when you're in the queue to speak, you will have the opportunity to speak before the vote. Correct. I've been in the queue. Okay. Since Sarah Watson. Let's uh we're going to have to fix that. I

Okay. So we do we have a second and we'll then we'll get you Mr. Neil. Okay. Okay. So we have a motion and a second to suspend the rules. It requires a twothirds vote and we there's there's no discussion on suspension of the rules. So once we do that we will move on. Can we just clarify? It would be to suspend the rules to send this to do this next week to postpone the committee appointments. Correct. Is that correct? If we suspend we're going to let Mr. Benino weigh in.

Yeah, it would be suspending the rule that requires the appointments to happen tonight so that they could happen next week.

All right. Okay, we'll get through this. Okay. So, uh, Mr. Heniki,

thank you very much. And I appreciate everybody being willing to give me a little bit of grace in jumping the gun earlier. Um, I'm going to agree with Alder Person Lucans in two points. One, that this is a big deal. making a change of this nature is a big deal. I will also concur that I do also believe if we don't table this until a further date that true a decision has already been made. In my in my opinion and it is at the behest of the the council here, I'm asking everybody to consider the thought that some of our new members of the council would like to consider the merits of adopting the committees as is standing or looking at the options for consolidation brought forth by the mayor who happens to oversee city hall who has a finger on the pulse of what is happening with our department heads and at the recommendation of many of the department heads um for the sake of efficiencies and and other information we should get the full breadth of the reasoning as to why uh and the justification as to why the consolidation would happen. My personal opinion is that if we adopt the committee appointments as is right now, we will find an excuse to just take it as it goes because we have the meetings, we'll have the meetings set up, we'll be going through them. We won't have an option to or a necessity to come back and revisit this. Um, and I don't take I don't take this piece lightly. And I would say that considering the fact that um you know in between the election and today's nomination, the city council felt it necessary to adopt items of which the four of us had no say on that something of this nature and of this magnitude deserves time for consideration.

And personally, I don't feel comfortable adopting the committees as is until I can properly weigh the option between six or four. Thank you, Alder Larson.

Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'm I'm echoing on to Alder Lukans and Alder Haniki. Um, I I just think that, you know, we're going down a slippery slope by suspending the rules and and not doing the committees now. Um, I I I I just think that uh there's there's ordinances that need to be changed and municipal codes that need to be changed, you know, and and we as a council, we decide on if we were to go from uh six meeting, six standing committees to four standing committees. And before, you know, you you'd put in the newspaper that um that the uh having the six committee uh was was redundant, burdensome, and in ineffective, you know, and I I had in my years of being on city council, the only thing that I found redundant in in um in this in the committees was was being on the parks committee and and and parks commission at the same time. And um other than that, I don't find anything redundant. I don't find anything cumbersome. Um I I I I really need to see more data on this before uh we we jump into just changing from a six to four. Um I think we need to have a cow on this. I I think uh I think I would like to uh we have to research all the information first before we head into this. And and most of all um we've got four new comm council members here um who who have yet to sit in a standing committee meeting. So, you know, we really need to move this maybe down the road 6 months to a year so our colleagues can can can sit

in the the uh the the meetings, the standing committee meetings and make their own opinions on if they're burdensome, redundant, or ineffective and they need change. I I think by by we can get into that argument because now we're discussing that proposal. We're really looking at the mechanics of do we do we do we assign committees now or do we post postpone that

well then okay then then we'll just I'm I'm in favor of assigning committees now. I think we're going down a slippery slope by by not uh u following the ordinances of our own of our own body. Um and and we'll look at the others as we go on the line. Well, I think it's a slippery slope that we are in a position that we're in because the agenda was not uh uh put out properly. So, let's let's let's uh let's let's look at all things. So, the option to to to go by will anyone else wish to speak on that?

So, it's going to require twothirds vote to postpone essentially. So, we're suspending the rule and the rule is that these are appointed tonight and if you want them appointed tonight, you would vote no. If you don't want them appointed tonight, you would vote yes to suspend that role. Alder Kian did have her hand up. Alder Killian.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'm just listening to the uh concern of the new council person and I have the understanding that staff has felt that um there would be more efficiency consolidating committees which is not the issue tonight but I would like to see us move this to the um council meeting next week. Um, I'm I'm listening to Alder Hanky and I think it's important that they have the new members also have the opportunity to hear the pros and cons of all of this. So that would that's where my support would be. Thank you.

So then on the motion to suspend this rule and that is rule 13B I believe. Is that correct Vinnie? 81 13A. So the the motion is to suspend rule 13A. So a yes vote would suspend this rule and we would discuss it as you had indicated for next week. A no vote you would get them tonight. Is that clear? A yes.

A yes is to to review it on the 28th. A no would be to ask [clears throat] me to do it tonight. Is that clear?

All right, you may vote. 23. That motion fails to get a two-thirds majority. This is all the All right, up next is announcement. ments from the mayor and older persons. What an unusual meeting. We learn something new every meeting. So, we learned some things tonight. We will fix

them. We will move forward. And I appreciate you uh sticking through it. We have cake in the back. Uh where's Michelle?

Michelle, it's in the lobby. Uh go out and mingle. celebrate, enjoy your election, and enjoy your your new positions, and we'll see you in a week. Uh, any alders have any comments? Any any announcements? Seeing none, I would entertain a motion to adjurnn. Motion from Neil, second from Killian. All in favor of adjournment signify by saying I.

The meeting is adjourned. See you later. tonight on night one

in in front of the seal. Jacob is here just he's setting up some equipment. So if you need your picture taken or you'd like a picture taken in front of the seal with a flag, um we're available to do that tonight. Sure. Before you guys take off, we do need a a group photo for the for the council.