Brentwood’s ways and means committee wrestled with a revised code of conduct at its Feb. 19 meeting, which was handed to them from the previous board of aldermen meeting.
Committee members, aldermen, Tom Kramer, Maureen Saunders and Andy Leahy (Patrick Toohey was absent) discussed the revised version, originally submitted by Mayor Pat Kelly. The revised version was written to be less heavy-handed; for instance the word, “rule” was replaced with “policy” throughout.
The revised code does not require an alderman to request written reports or information through a committee, but rather, they should submit the request to a committee first, unless it’s needed before the committee meeting schedule.
Kramer said later that the code is meant simply as a framework that each of the aldermen would agree to live by.
Aldermen Saunders and Leahy still did not like the guideline to submit a request to a committee.
Attorney, Brian Hey, with McMahon Berger, at the meeting for the city, supported aldermen requesting information as a group.
“The board would be getting the same information as a whole, as everyone else is getting. That’s how they stay on the same page,” he said.
As in previous meetings, Alderwoman Maureen Saunders, who supports an individual alderman having access to city information, said the board does work together. “We do our work independently, and bring our ideas, but then we work together as a board,” she said. “Bola (Akande) can chose to share an answer with the entire board, which she does.”
City Administrator Bola Akande said the challenge is when city staff hears from one alderman or more aldermen, “We’re all chasing different things. You all expect it to be lying on our desk, just press a button and get it for you right there.”
Kramer said there has to be a good reason for city work to be placed on hold.
“Now there is no protocol for the city administrator to make a determination for those items that are of emergent circumstance, and those items that are of need by one particular official, and she has a constant frustration, and possibly others have constant frustration at receiving calls directly from elected officials, “Kramer said.
Saunders said she wanted to see documentation how much time city staff spends on aldermen’s requests so they could know exactly what the problem is, but Akande told her that would be a “waste of time.”
Leahy said he was not in favor of the mayor’s code of conduct, and there’s nothing in the city process that an alderman should not be able to at least at least review.
“If you have good first-hand knowledge you will make better decisions for the entire city. I don’t think it’s right that we get filtered or segregated information,” he said.
See the complete, revised code of conduct.
When I went to college, our professor said never use the word POLICY in Company Directives, etc., as POLICY is nothing more than Broad Guide Lines. So one could actually break the Code of Conduct as it would be nothing but broad guide lines.
Here is what the City of Brentwood needs to do for the council meetings.
They should give every person 7 minutes to speak on one subject, in front of the City Council and people. After that person speaks, he/she goes to a room, away from the meeting into another room, where they can continue to monitor the meeting. Every subject gets 5 minutes.
Those speakers, speak through a microphone from a soundproof room. When their 5 minutes is done, the microphone goes dead, and they leave the room, to the other room (see above).
Any persons causing a disturbance, will be escorted, to they outside of building.
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