Council needs to strengthen my authority to enforce the requirement for read ahead materials

Take a look at the agenda for the March 3, 2011 Huber Heights Administration Meeting.  Now take a look at the agenda for the March 14, 2011 Huber Heights Administration Meeting.  These are the work sessions that just preceded the Council Meeting that first revealed Council had finished making all the major decisions about the building of an Aquatic Center and the one that authorized Council to spend more than $700,000 to make sure those decisions were locked in. 
 
Take a look at the agenda for the Aug 16, 2011 Huber Heights Administration Meeting.  This is the work session that preceded the Council Meeting that revealed the developer Council chose build the “The Heights”.  Look at that 2011 development agreement tell me if you see commitments they made that we haven’t seen yet in 2016.
 
Now take a look at the agenda for the December 4, 2012 Administration Committee Meeting.   This is the work session that preceded the Council Meeting that revealed Council was going to build the Music Center and the one where they committed the first $100,000 toward that project. 

 
I made one commitment when running for Mayor and that was to make sure the City provides you with information about where your money is going and timely information about City business.  The current Rules of Council provide me an opportunity to help make that happen because Council has put me in charge of making sure the agenda is set for the work sessions and because I have instituted the requirement for read ahead material for all items in order to make the agenda.   I need you to tell your council members you don’t want to go backward but instead you want me to be more of a hammer in enforcing this requirement. 
 
This past council meeting Council Member Otto tried to “help” me out by relaying an example where he requested something on the agenda.  In this example he tells us that I told him a read ahead was required and he complied because he felt this was a request and not a requirement.  I’m not sure why he would have had this impression since I told him at that time that a read ahead was required in order for an item to make the agenda.  During the latest council meeting I attempted to make the record clear.  It is my position that the public, other council members and staff deserve the opportunity to come to work sessions prepared for the discussions that are going to take place.  One key tool to making that happen is through a good agenda.  If a member of council or staff can't get around to preparing for the discussion they want to have, then that discussion can wait until they are prepared.  That is my position.  

I’ve had at least 5 council members annoyed because I utilize the authority council gave me in order to get them to provide something I absolutely believe the residents of Huber Heights deserve.  When the discussion comes up whether council should take away this authority or instead demand that I be more of a hammer, it would be good for you to know that I’ve not been overly demanding.  For instance, look at the item Council Member Otto spoke about during the last council meeting.  Here he expected the agenda would include one thing only, the title “Economic Development Director Position”.  This would not have made the agenda, but I did accepted this brief write up

I’m glad we’ve progressed from what we find in the agendas at the top of this articles to what we now find in the City Council Work Session April 19, 2016, but we can do better.   One way to ensure that happens is for Council to ensure I have the authority to enforce the requirement for read ahead materials.   I appreciate your support on this issue.  








If you would like to see a quality read ahead look to that provided by Council Member Byrge May 5th for the Digital Gateway Sign - Thomas Cloud Park.



If you would like to see the discussion from the May 9th meeting here is a link to the video.  The discussion starts at about 1 hour 38 minutes.


The video below is an excerpt from the April 11th City Council meeting when Council Member Smith made the request that prompted her starting the May 9th discussion.  Note that at the end of her request the expectation of Read Ahead materials is stated.  













 

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