COLUMBIA: Council meeting tame
Clocking in at a little over an hour, the usual differences in opinion were held to a minimum, replaced by several unanimous votes and the semi-resolution of a long-standing dispute.
Even though things became settled later, the meeting started off with a dispute over the minutes of previous meetings. What used to be a given has become a tussle over whether the minutes accurately reflect what happened.Trying to pass the minutes of one such session, alderman Jay Unnerstall questioned a couple passages he didn't think portrayed what he had intended.
"I think we owe it to all of our citizens to get down what actually happened," Unnerstall said.
City Clerk Wes Hoeffken, who is responsible for writing the minutes, became agitated with Unnerstall over his demands.
"Why is it every time you address me you have to start with some snide comment?," Hoeffken said.
In the end, one round of minutes was passed while another was tabled, drawing the ire of alderman Mary Ellen Niemietz.
"The minutes aren't supposed to be verbatim but are supposed to accurately grasp the meaning of the meeting," Niemietz said. "We are taking a half hour from every meeting to fight over the minutes."
Later on, the rifts in the council seemed to have healed when the subject of the 2008 Boards and Commissions Appointment Ordinance came up. Mayor Kevin Hutchinson is responsible for filling these positions with the approval of the City Council.
No positions had been filled yet, though, because the two sides couldn't agree on who should man these roles.
The main sticking point has been appointing the head of the Library Board. Hutchinson has recommended Dan Brutton for the Library Board while Unnerstall wants Wyona Farmer.
Hutchinson said Farmer was discounted because of her actions at two separate City Council meetings. Unnerstall said he believed she was removed because of her position on the Columbia Crossing development.
Either way, the two still couldn't agree on the matter, although Unnerstall tried to compromise by agreeing to vote yes on all the appointments except for the Library Board role.
"I have a hard time separating this one person from the rest when I know he would do a good job," Hutchinson said.
"Well I think we should vote on what we can agree on instead of leaving all these appointments open because of one person," Unnerstall said.
However, after some deliberation, both sides agreed on this new plan.
"I will do this for the sake of moving forward and I hope you will grant me the same courtesy in the future," Hutchinson said to Unnerstall.
His wish was denied, though, when minutes later Hutchinson once again tried to put Brutton on the Library Board, only to have the City Council deny him.
"I can see this is a one way street," Hutchinson said.
