| 8/21/2012 5:47:00 AM Princeton commissioner proposes two readings of ordinances | ||
PRINCETON - Based on his belief that many local residents distrust their city council, Princeton Commissioner Joel Quiram suggested the council take a step to create more opennes.
Quiram said he's heard many residents' concerns about past decisions made by the council "There is without question an element of frustration shared by many that's guided by mistrust," Quiram said. "We need a system that addresses and works to resolve the frustration. We need to gain the trust. We can do this by ensuring that residents have the opportunity to be heard prior to any vote finalizing an ordinance." To accomplish this, Quiram proposed requiring two readings of each ordinance at separate council meetings prior to finalization. The council would still vote after the first reading, he said, then the ordinance and the results of the vote would be posted in City Hall and the city's website and published in the newspaper so residents would have a chance to voice their opinion before the next council meeting two weeks later, at which time the ordinance would be read a second time and a final vote would be taken. At that point, commissioners could take residents' feedback into account and possibly change their votes or revise the ordinance, he said. On rare occasions, an ordinance might have to be read twice in the same meeting, such as for an emergency ordinance to purchase equipment that is needed immediately, Quiram said. A procedure could be established to set aside the rules to make both readings during the same session. City manager Jeff Clawson used to work in Aledo, Ill. where they've followed this process for decades. "I didn't see much input from the public for any of that, but it's the process that was in place, so everyone knew they always had that opportunity," Clawson said. Clawson also told the council that the state of Iowa requires three readings of every city ordinance. |
6 comments:
THE CITY OF PERU WILL NEVER DO THIS , OR MAYOR HARL . THEIR NOT GOING TO LET TAX PAYING CITIZENS TELL THEM ANYTHING ! THEIR HOLYER THEN THOU ATTUIDES . SORRY ABOUT THE SPELLING .
ITS JUST LIKE THE PARTTIME PEOPLE OR SUPPOSED PARTIME TAKING CITY VEHICLES HOME FOR LUNCH OR LARGE MOWERS . I MANAGED TWO CHEMICAL WAREHOUSES AND NEVER TOOK A COMPANY TRUCK HOME ! BUT THIS PERU !!!!
Peru used to discuss ordinances at the informal meeting and take votes at the formal meeting. This was changed with the new mayor. Public discusion was available at both meetings.
Since they meet 4x a month and sometimes there 8s only 5 days between meetings. This needs to be changed. I amazed that a little town like Aledo can do it right and Peru has never thought about transparency and time for citizens that might be interesting in reviewing a proposed ordinance. I like the new Princeton proposal of on the web, at city hall, and in newsprint before an ordnance can become law after 2 commission votes of approval. Conduct your govenment in the sunshine and not in the dark.
We need to reduce the number of meetings. As it stands, very few qualified people can make a commitment to be available every single week for a meeting of some sort - sometimes two or three meetings a week. If you are in business and travel 25% you cannot serve in good faith.
Harl is a fool and is dragging this city down.
6:41 AM
You are definitely right and we might be in danger of losing one of our best aldermen because of that. Harl promised to reduce the meetings and of course the council said no. Then when it looked like he had the votes to do so, a couple of aldermen I am told said they needed the money from the meetings. So it was considered to raise their monthly allowance and meet only twice. And then heard no more about it.
Meeting 4x a month is ridiculous and needs to change or we will never improve our council and that means more of the same on and on.
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