City Council Needs More Open Process for Public's Business

We believe the best decisions have support of an informed citizenry. While the new City Manager is responsible for day-to-day operations, the council is responsible for setting policy. Policy-making process needs to be more in the public view.

Citizens are just now becoming aware of a number of decisions made out of the public view at the council Retreats in Greenville, SC last January 15, 2007.and in the June council meeting in Savannah. Unless citizens attended the February 5, 2007 council meeting and obtained an agenda package, they had no inkling of events about to affect their lives. These decisions were reached by consensus vote, out of the public view, and without public input.

In Greenville, the city council endorsed three items brought before the State Legislature this Spring, 2007:

1. Item: "Seek Authorization from state legislature to hold Referendum Nov. 6 2007 creating a Tax Allocation District for the City"

   Not clear in the Greenville Report is when a decision was made to approach state legislators to write legislation for a Tax Allocation District and who was authorized to make the approach. However, like Athena springing forth from Zeus's head, Senator Curt Thompson and Representative Pedro Marin sponsored the legislation that originated in the Senate as SB231. A similar bill sponsored by Thompson failed in the county last year.

   Very little time remains to educate citizens before the November 6 voting.

2. Item: Allow 3-year terms for city council members without Norcross citizen vote - "approach state to change law allowing 3 year terms" for council members; no public discussion.

   State legislature has approved a non-binding referendum for Nov. 6, 2007. Non-binding means just allow a poll of the citizens; The council is not bound by the referendum outcome. The council is still free to do as it likes.

3. Item: Seek state legislature approval for change in City Charter for City Manager position instead of a City Administrator

   Other decisions included moving the Marshall's office and code enforcement to the Community Development Department as well as other initiatives. Read on.

4. Item: "Marshall's Dept needs to be reorganized under a dept."

   Had a more public discussion taken place, a citizen-mounted yard sign campaign in opposition would have been unnecessary.

5. Item: Changing Work Sessions to same night as Regular Council Meeting

• READ COUNCIL REPORT FROM GREENVILLE, SC RETREAT 
• READ MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL SAVANNAH MEETING IN JUNE 
• SEE LEGISLATIVE WATCH