Missing Members Means a Special Council Meeting is Required

With several members not in attendance at their meeting on Thursday, December 27, 2012, Marion City Council was unable to approve a resolution that is required to be passed before the end of the year. In order to approve that required resolution, Council has called a special meeting for Friday, December 28, 2012 at 7:35pm.

Council members Ralph Cumston, Ayers Ratliff, and Mike Thomas were absent from the meeting which, due to the holiday, had been moved from its normal day of Monday. Because of their absence, there were not enough council members in attendance to suspend the rules which require three readings of ordinances and resolutions. A two-thirds majority is required to suspend those rules. No reasons were given for their absences.

Marion City Auditor Kelly Carr said an ordinance that balances out the budget for the end of 2012 must be approved by Council before the end of the year. Because that ordinance was on the agenda for the first time Thursday, it could not be passed without first suspending the rules.

If enough Council members are not present at the special meeting on Friday, another special meeting will have to be called to reach the required three readings and allow Council to vote on the measure.

At their meeting Thursday, in addition to holding the first reading on the final 2012 budget adjustments, Council:

• held a second reading with no discussion on a pay freeze and no sick leave sell back for non-bargaining agreement employees. This would be the fifth year in a row with these restrictions;
• held the second reading on the 2013 Budget ordinance. Council member Josh Daniels suggested in future years it would be helpful to see a comparison with the previous year. Daniels said it would make it easier for Council to see the changes being made in the budget;
• held first readings on changes to the amount dispatchers and firefighters will pay towards their pensions. There was no discussion other than to clarify that the changes are a part of the negotiated contracts with the employees, and;
• held a first reading on the pass-through transfer of the former Oak Street Elementary building from the Marion City Schools to the Boys & Girls Club of Marion County. The transfer will not result in any cost to the City of Marion.

Marion City Council meets on the second floor of City Hall and all meetings are open to the public.