August 16, 2011 Unnamed Councilmembers Try To Limit Mayor's Committee

                             

Some City Councilmembers are sponsoring the resolution at left in an attempt to curtail Mayor Thomas's Committee that was formed to perform a top-down evaluation of city departments, looking for efficiencies and cost savings.

Click on the image to enlarge and read.

These councilmembers want to put a leash on Mayor Thomas and his plans to send the City, which has been plagued by years of fiscal mismanagement, on a different path.

The resolution states in part that "...City resources, including staff time, shall not be expended in furtherance of the Mayor's Committee in performing a top down evaluation of the City's departments, pending further official action of the City Council."

If they get away with this, next from this unnamed group will be a resolution stating that Councilmember Gene Brooks can not ask for documents and can not ask questions in council meetings. 

NOTE: While I support Mayor Thomas's attempt to review and evaluate the city departments, I think that the Committee is likely subject to the open meetings act, and I have told him this. And even if one could argue that the committee is not subject to the open meetings act, it is still wise to announce and open the committee meetings to the public that foots the bills.