Panel OKs end to committee meetings

SANDPOINT — The Administrative Committee is OK with ending its existence — at least for a while.

At a meeting Thursday night, members decided in a two-to-one vote to eliminate subcommittees and switch to two council meetings a month. The recommendation will need to be approved by the full council before any changes go into effect.

In addition, committee members a review date for the changes. Currently  scheduled for the first City Council meeting in April 2013, the review date gives a definite moment for council members to analyze whether or not the changes and related public feedback have been positive. That doesn’t stop the council from reverting to the old format or something similar if a two meeting system doesn’t work well — it just sets a definite period for the matter to receive attention.

“If it turned out that next year, for example, this isn’t what we want to do, there’s nothing stopping us from switching back,” City Attorney Scot Campbell said.

A shift in city meeting tone was the biggest topic of concern. Subcommittee meetings are noted for their more relaxed attitude when compared to City Council meetings, which are governed to a larger extent by protocols and rules of procedure.

In contrast, subcommittee members usually sit at ground-level tables rather than the raised seats they occupy during council meetings. They also frequently engage attending members of the public in free conversation, whereas in a council meeting, that person would have to be invited to approach a podium and microphone.

“The ultimate concern I have is that I don’t want to lose that open conversation,” Councilman Justin Schuck said.

If a system of two council meetings a month were to be adopted, members discussed pursuing means to make them less formal. Campbell offered the suggestion of using the ground level tables as seating for individuals involved in the discussion rather than making them stand at a podium.

Otherwise, each system offers a different set of benefits. In addition to their informality, subcommittee members allow council members to gain expertise in different sets of issues, which they can then use when introducing the subject at full council meetings.

However, subcommittees are not empowered to actually make decisions. Instead, they forward recommendations to the full council. Given that fact, a speedier decision-making process was one principle benefit of two council meetings a month.

According to Campbell, the new format also solved potential problems regarding quorum regulations. Since the council must authorize expenditures, two council meetings gives the city’s financial department flexibility regarding bill payment. Finally, if council members decide they don’t have enough information to make a decision in one meeting, they can return better-equipment in another two weeks and not a month.

While the subcommittee’s recommendation received enough support to receive full council consideration, Councilwoman Carrie Logan decided to vote against the measure.

“The only thing I’m going to say is, in a nutshell, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Logan added.