**Live Blogging CC Committee Meetings about 296

[Timkin]

Timkin, it was hard sitting through that meeting. I really hate to keep talking about her, but I just don't understand how she was placed in that position. PERIOD!

Jimmy, I didn't know that but figured out when both meetings deferred it yesterday. Perhaps you can answer this question for me...

Council members seem to come and go as they please. Is there a certain amount of meetings each member can miss? Or as long as they are excused nothing is done?
I just found it disheartening that they have been on vacation since Debbie and still in all three meetings people were missing.

Also, what happens in the event 2/3 committees vote against it? It won't reach the floor at that point?

I think her being put in that position was ON PURPOSE, COMPLETELY.  Sort of an in your face, retaliation.  And if anyone thinks it will be willingly passed with her at the head, I have a bridge/reef offshore I would love for you to own.

City council is a SAD SAD Joke.  its sort of like a mini house of Representatives or congress. Another wasteful and underutilized group.  God forbid that this city EVER gets a group in place that put the City and the people and the betterment of the two, FIRST.

3 week vacation and some absent after.. nice.  Paid to be absent .

How many of us do that in the real world?

[Ralph W]

If I were in charge of the City Council I would mandate that everyone on the dais go to the bathroom before the meeting starts, bring their own bottles of water for the duration and SIT THERE for as long as the meeting lasts.. In the event someone has a weak bladder they would be required to raise their hand and request a potty break. There would be NO phone calls allowed, in or out, and certainly no tweets or PM's. There are signs throughout our city departments demanding that cell phones be turned off while conducting business with the departments and there should be NO DIFFERENCE when the City Council is conducting our business.

[Charles Hunter]

But if you cut off calls, tweets, and PMs during the meeting, how would Council members get last minute instructions from Paul Harden and FBC?  [sarcasm]

[AshleyLauren]

^^^ Greatest comment yet. I completely agree. It is the rudest thing. Today, the assistant behind Stephen Joost was on her blackberry the entire RCD meeting. Kim Daniels leaves the room at least 6 times at every CC meeting. And Denise Lee has been at 2 of the nearly 15 meetings I have been to this summer. And Don Redman appeared to be asleep at the CC meeting that ran til 1am at the start of public comment for 296.

It's sad. PERIOD!!

Timkin, let's hope you are wrong.

[Timkin]

Ashley.... You know I want to be wrong.  The complacency and outright abuse of the system by these council people states the obvious.

Won't say it will never pass because miracles DO happen.  But it is obvious by all of the hurdles put up so far that a few of the council people are using their position and religious beliefs as a tool to prevent some of us from basic rights.  Let them feel discriminated and look out.

Speaking of.. I ll wager that is how, exactly Kim Daniels was appointed head of this committee.  She has made her position abundantly clear.  So to expect her to change is a very long shot.

We need a panel of truly unbiased people representing City council and City management.  It is outrageous what some of these people continue to get away with ....particularly when there are other folks, in the City and Police  who are about to lose their jobs, who probably are far more attentive to their duties than some council members.   

[Tacachale]

There are many good council members fighting hard for this bill, at no gain to themselves (especially for the Republicans). Don't dismiss them all out of hand. The good guys need our support.

[Timkin]

There are many good council members fighting hard for this bill, at no gain to themselves (especially for the Republicans). Don't dismiss them all out of hand. The good guys need our support.

Agree.  Not slamming them. Stating that SOME of them abuse their position.  Just an opinion.

[Jimmy]

Jimmy, I didn't know that but figured out when both meetings deferred it yesterday. Perhaps you can answer this question for me...

Council members seem to come and go as they please. Is there a certain amount of meetings each member can miss? Or as long as they are excused nothing is done?
I just found it disheartening that they have been on vacation since Debbie and still in all three meetings people were missing.

Also, what happens in the event 2/3 committees vote against it? It won't reach the floor at that point?

So long as the Council Member has an excused absence, they're fine to miss meetings.

You have to realize that something else is going on behind the scenes; it's not just an extended vacation.  The African American Councilmembers are in the process of a protest.  President Bishop's failure to place any Black council person on either the Finance or LUZ committee has resulted in most African American councilmembers pledging to miss committee meetings until that has been rectified.

Splitting RCDPHS and giving the chairmanship to Kim Daniels for the PHS half was an attempt to "settle" the dispute over membership on Finance and LUZ.  I think it created more problems than it solved - especially since it didn't solve anything.

If 2 of the committees vote it out, and 1 committee holds out, Bishop will feel justified in pulling it from the "holdout" committee.  For example, if Rules and RCD manage to vote and discharge 296, but PHS doesn't, I think there's a lot more political support for President Bishop to say "okay, folks, we've been dealing with this for months.  We've heard hours of public hearing and testimony.  I'm discharging 296 from PHS and putting it on the agenda for August 13."  Which may be what happens.

[AshleyLauren]

Thanks Jimmy, and sorry for the round of questions.

There are only five African American members on the council, correct?? And there are now 6 committees. I think it makes sense that there would not be a representative on every committee. It just seems like an extreme tactic. And a little too convenient to be taking place in the midst of anti-discrimination vote.

Either way, be proud of the influence you guys have had thus far. The end is near and I see no reason this thing wont come out on your side. 

[Tacachale]

We're not out of the woods. It still has to pass, and then it has to get the mayor who can veto.

[AshleyLauren]

We're not out of the woods. It still has to pass, and then it has to get the mayor who can veto.

I know Tacachale. I am just pointing out I am hopeful and optimistic.

[Timkin]

Jimmy, I didn't know that but figured out when both meetings deferred it yesterday. Perhaps you can answer this question for me...

Council members seem to come and go as they please. Is there a certain amount of meetings each member can miss? Or as long as they are excused nothing is done?
I just found it disheartening that they have been on vacation since Debbie and still in all three meetings people were missing.

Also, what happens in the event 2/3 committees vote against it? It won't reach the floor at that point?

So long as the Council Member has an excused absence, they're fine to miss meetings.

You have to realize that something else is going on behind the scenes; it's not just an extended vacation.  The African American Councilmembers are in the process of a protest.  President Bishop's failure to place any Black council person on either the Finance or LUZ committee has resulted in most African American councilmembers pledging to miss committee meetings until that has been rectified.

Splitting RCDPHS and giving the chairmanship to Kim Daniels for the PHS half was an attempt to "settle" the dispute over membership on Finance and LUZ.  I think it created more problems than it solved - especially since it didn't solve anything.

No doubt Ms Daniels is at the top of the list of protesters.