At the council meeting this last week a gentleman stood up during public comments and complained because a plan that was submitted to the Beautification committee was rejected (for this purpose it doesn't matter why), and when he tried to get records from the committee meeting he was informed that we have no such records in our city for any of our committees.
While that's not exactly right, GADC, the Zoning Board, and a couple of others keep and maintain records, it is so that most have no reporting to the city what so ever.
So straight from the Open Meetings Handbook 2012, page 12 -
D. Committees and Subcommittees of Governmental Bodies
Generally, meetings of less than a quorum of a governmental body are not subject to the Act.70 However, when a governmental body appoints a committee that includes less than a quorum of the parent body and grants it authority to supervise or control public business or public policy, the committee may itself be a “governmental body” subject to the Act.71
Our committees definitely fall into the 'less than a quorum' since I've never seen our council members appointed to these committees. But they most definitely ARE given permission and authority to supervise and control public business and public policy.
In September I wrote about the need for our committees to report to the council on a regular basis. read here
I'm being told that there are committees meeting without proper notification to ALL members of the committees, that there are some that are basically committee in name only and that the 'elite few' just do whatever they want on these committees. When I spoke to Bob Burchard about some of his actions in the city and upsetting people by those doing things (things often related to committees he's on), and he told me "I didn't do it it wouldn't get done!"
Really?
So that means that you can circumvent all the policy, procedures and laws that were set out to make sure that the public has say in our city and for a COMMITTEE (defined as - a group of persons elected or appointed to perform some service or function, as to investigate, report on, or act upon a particular matter). That the few don't dictate to the many. It's also that the council knows what's going on! The sad part is he's not alone in his attitude about committee work.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, our committees all work for the city council (who in turn works for the best interest of the people of Gonzales). They don't get free reign, and they have a obligation to keep the council and the citizens of this town informed as to where they spend any money and what policies they are dictating. As a courtesy to the council they also owe them a "what we're working on" so that the council can direct any actions that might be duplicated (or in some cases triplicated) or in contrary to the direction the council is trying to move our city.
I think our city needs to immediately inform all committees to insure they are following by certain rules, and while some of them are not laws, they are still courteous and transparent ways to operate -
1) All meetings times and places are posted on the city websites for all committees
2) A quorum must be present at all committee meetings for any votes of action to be taken
3) Minutes for all meetings must be posted with the city secretary within 3 business days following the next committee meeting (to give time to approve the minutes before posting - so most minute, just like our council minutes would be a month behind).
4) All committees must make a public report at least quarterly to the city council with general details of project status (what's been completed, and what are we working on) for the councils knowledge and direction.
Some of the committees have done an excellent job. But honestly I believe some of our committees have taken on a life of their own that were never intended. We as a public have a right to know what's going on in our committees. We have a right to be at any meeting of any committee. We have a right to have a say, even if we're not on the committee, just as we do with our elected officials. But the way it's set up right now, our citizens and our city council have no way of knowing what's going on in those committee meetings.
God Bless
Dennis Nesser
Dennis, I pointed this out several months ago and I agree with everything you say. When I brought this to city hall's attention, I was met with the usual "doe in the headlights look" and then a shrug of the shoulders and the comment..."that's how it's always been done".
ReplyDeleteThis whole city government operates in the shadows, never revealing the whole truth to the citizens they work for. And as long as citizens refuse to get involved and demand changes, that will continue.
"..and he told me "(If) I didn't do it it wouldn't get done!"
ReplyDeleteSounds like President Obama, doesn't it.
But to ram-rod stuff through, without the council knowing.....
I have heard some of the stuff that he has on his agenda if he gets king....whoops, I mean mayor. Heaven help us.
"..and he told me "(If) I didn't do it it wouldn't get done!"
ReplyDeleteLike cutting down trees in the city park without the citys knowledge, in front of adout fifty witnesses.
"Like cutting down trees in the city park without the citys knowledge, in front of adout fifty witnesses."
ReplyDeleteAre you talking about the tree and shrub killing in East Avenue Park many years ago?
Was he reponsible for that? I always thought it was the city manager at that time.
No! I'm talking about him cutting a tree down last year on Kerr Creek in the city park. Next to the old bridge. And when asked what he was doing, he replied "if the city won't cut it down, I will"
ReplyDeleteDennis Nesser should know about the tree cutting in the park, the Boy Scouts were having a ceremony when he did it.
ReplyDeleteyet he didn't want the veterans memorial to be at the chosen location because he had other plans for that area
DeleteWe were doing a crossing over ceremony for the scouts the night he did that.
DeleteOk, as much as the 'Bob Bashing' might be deserved, I want to point out that he is only one of the committee members that feel this way.
ReplyDeleteWe have several committees that have no leash, no guidance or direction, and definitely do not operate transparently.
We have duplication of efforts, and toes being stepped on all the time because of the lack of reporting by committees. We need to get this under control!
Dennis
I agree about all committees. They need to report to the city. And they need to abide by the posting of their agenda's on the City of Gonzales website.
ReplyDeleteIt would also be an improvement if their members were posted. The minutes of the meeting should also be posted. And that includes the City of Gonzales City Council meeting. If the two so-called "News"papers fail to report the contents of these meetings, or report only those items that they are biased on, then we do not get the full story.
And this applies to the County and their related committees.
And the EMS, Fire, Hospital, and School Districts.
How are we as the voters and payers of the taxes that support these able to make an informed decision if we don't know what is going on? We can't make all the meetings. But with computers and the websites, we should be able to read what is going on.
It's the "Mushroom Syndrom" ....keep them in the dark and feed them s***.
ReplyDeleteSince the city council approves everything brought to them by these committees, maybe a call to Gregg Abbott would be in order?
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that the council never has the opportunities to vote on anything from the committees. In 2 years of going council meetings I've seen 1 report of a committee, and know of one other in a month I missed (with the exception of GEDC and the Zoning Boards). We have tons of boards, and the council isn't informed, nor is the public.
DeleteAnd that is why they are in violation of the Open Meetings Act.
DeleteWhy isn't the city attorney giving advice on this issue?
ReplyDeleteShe was asked to look into it when it was brought up, but I'm not holding my breath.
Delete"She was asked to look into it when it was brought up, but I'm not holding my breath."
DeleteSounds like a good candidate for District Attorney, NOT!
Why is every one afaid to do their job? Same applies to our Congress.
Why didn't the city attorney advise the council on unenforcable ordinances they passed?
ReplyDeleteshe did,but it is my understanding that it's not up to council to enforce the ordinances.they have no athority to do so.
DeleteI've been at most all the council meetings for 2 years. I've see the city attorney come back a year later and say that we had unenforceable ordinances, but I've never seen her say, especially with the most recent corrections, that the ordinances were not enforceable or not recommended.
DeleteEvidently she didn't. There are no penalties in the ordinances, and the police can't enforce them, the code inspectors can't enforce them, or at least that is the excuse given by Crow and Lewis. That means the city attorney failed to read the ordinances or intended that they were useless.
DeleteEveryone knows the council is not a law enforcement agency.
Dennis...I can tell you from personal experience that there are a lot of ordinances unenforceable, or that is what I'm told. The junk vehicle ordinance. I have complained about a neighbor that has several junk cars in their front yard. Haven't moved in five years. But was told there was no way to enforce the law. That came from Chief Crow and Sam Lewis.
ReplyDeleteThe overgrown lot ordinance. Again the neighbors don't mow their yard. The last time it was mowed was Come and Take It, the highway department contractor mowed the yard for them with their tractor. Of course that was just part of the front yard. But again I'm told the city can't do anything about it.
The barking dog. Once again the neighbors have two dogs that bark constantly. I call the PD and am told that they will turn it over to Larry the next day he works. Well, Larry comes out, hears the dogs, but says he can't do anything because the people aren't home. They have one of their dogs in a 10 X 10 pen. No house, no shade. Last winter the dog managed to survive the cold and wet somehow. Another neighbor called the PD and Larry came out and asked me when the neighbors would be home. Hell, I don't know. He left and the dog is still today in the same little pen barking all day.
So, either the Chief of Police, the code inspector, and the dog catcher can't enforce the law or they are lying.
I had a discussion with the new city manager about some of this and his comment was...."We can't ask someone to clean up their yard till the city cleans up theirs".. ????????????