I'm Glad You Asked Me That

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "What People Write":

Is it permitted to put a motion on the table a second time if there was a vote on the motion the first time? I thought items could not be reconsidered for 6 months?

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The motion was put forward earlier in the meeting by Councillor Ballard and defeated in a tie.

At ten-thirty, a motion to extend the hour of adjournment  passed. At eleven. another motion with two-thirds majority to  extend the hour   "fifteen minutes to complete the  business" was approved.

It was already past eleven. I voted against. It's my experience nothing useful happens in a council meeting as the time approaches the witching hour.  .

When Councillor Gaertner was recognised by the chair and proceeded to talk about staff rights,
the  intent appeared to be  making a case for employees to participate  in a council debate.

I am not always successful in masking my reaction to statements  by the  Councillor. I decided  discretion is the better  part of valour. I left.

Councillor Thompson was  absent .Seven members were  present. The  motion to extend was to complete the business. of the meeting.  Apparently the motion was put forward a second time under new business.

The questioner is correct. A motion defeated is not  permitteed  to be reconsidered  for six months; except by a waiver of the procedure bylaw. A waiver  could not have succeeded with a four/three vote.

As  already stated, the sense of the motion  is nonsense. Councillors' Gaertner, Gallo and Ballard reason are easily understood.  Despite the electorate's decision, they still persist in fighting the last election. Unseen hands continue to jerk  their strings in futile and pathetic refusal to relinquish power.

Councillor Humphrey's reasons are not so easily understood.

We have spent  time  reviewing the procedure bylaw as required by the procedure bylaw,  The Bylaw's  purpose is to agree upon rules which will allow us to function in a civil and orderly manner in keeping with the offices we hold. It is assumed we are not barbarians.

We have not seen any intent to behave in an orderly respectful manner towards fellow councillors or the Mayor by Councillor  Gaertner. Quite the opposite.We consistently witness  vestiges of the  old alliance between the Councillors and their defeated friends and patrons.
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Combine this circumstance  with the new Mayor's lack of experience in maintaining order in a council meeting and the voters intend for  change will be frustrated for a while yet.

Although sometimes it seems we take a step forward and  two back, I may be  too close to the trees to see the forest.

At each meeting.we have been able to resolve outstanding issues. I expect we will build on our successes.The power of influence for good has a quality of enticement and seduction. It's a taste that expands in flavour.

I  anticipate the satisfaction of accomplishing things together as a Council may  overcome the inclination to keep fighting battles for absent losers.

I don't expect, after more than seven years, Councillor Gaertner to magically acquire an ability for independent thought. But perhaps the personal ambitions of Gallo and Ballard will overcome their willingness to fall on their swords to justify  the  catastrophic  failures of  predecessors.