Posted on Wed, Apr. 23, 2008
Quality over quantity
Do more meetings mean better government?
If it does, the government of Columbus must be very good.
Columbus Council meets every Tuesday -- rain or shine, whether it needs to or not. Few major cities in Georgia convene their governing bodies that often, as indicated by a survey conducted by Clerk of Council Tiny Washington.
She reported her findings to council in February. They weren't new and neither were they news. The subject of how frequently the local council meets has been raised before, but the idea that this is how we've always done it prevailed.
Councils and commissions in other major cities around Georgia meet two or three times a month. Columbus meets four or five times each month with the fourth meeting set aside as a work session.
Run down the list of cities:
• Athens -- first and second Tuesday and third Thursday.
• Atlanta -- first and third Monday.
• Augusta -- first and third Tuesday.
• Columbus -- every Tuesday.
• Macon -- first and third Tuesday.
• Savannah -- every other Tuesday.
• Valdosta -- first and third Thursday.
Why does Columbus meet so often?
Because the charter tells us so.
Scattered through that document are other requirements dealing with the 10-member council. Called for in the appendix is a rule that meetings be held every Tuesday at 9 a.m. Ordinances amended that to include that the first meeting of the month be held at 5:30 p.m. and another that says the fourth meeting shall be devoted to a work session.
So if an ordinance made those changes, why can't another one alter the number of times council meets?
Some people hang on every word of the city charter and view it as a holy document inspired on a mountaintop. In many ways, it was a visionary work, but we can't escape the fact that it was written more than 35 years ago.
Columbus has changed and so have the people who serve on council. By varying the work schedule, younger people with regular jobs might be able to serve. By changing the voting schedule, councilors might have more time to study the issues.
Streamlining shouldn't stop there.
Encourage councilors to make their requests of the city manager and city attorney in private and off camera.
Create another public forum for the endless number of resolutions and awards -- or at least do them monthly instead of weekly.
Limit the number of times a citizen may speak on the same subject each month.
Enforce the five-minute rule for people on the public agenda. (Since a hook is out of the question, display a timer so everyone can see how much time they have left to talk.)
These changes are worth considering and others bear discussing. But going to fewer meetings every month should be at the top of council's list. All it takes is one simple ordinance.
As Red McDaniel loves to point out, "You can do anything with six votes."
Contact Richard Hyatt at rhyatt@ledger-enquirer.com
