The Henderson City Council voted at its regular Monday night meeting this week to change to a once-per-month meeting schedule. There is a six month time frame in mind to try the reduced number of meetings, but it can be changed back to the twice-per-month routine at anytime. Two council people present voted against the idea.
Councilwoman Sara Coffey told WIZS News, “Brenda Peace and I voted to keep it twice per month because we don’t feel like meeting once per month is a fair representation of the City, to handle City business.” She said, “Especially with a new City manager, and you’ll have new people coming on the council. Meeting once a month is not going to be enough.”
The City will also have a new mayor. Mayor-elect Eddie Ellington has already started attending the meetings, and he was present for the vote, although just as an observer. Ellington said, “I kind of have mixed feelings on it. I guess we’re just going to have to wait to see how it works out.”
The City Council’s move takes place post election, except for next week’s runoff between Brenda Peace and Melissa Elliott as well as between Marion Brodie Williams and Clarence J. Dale, but before the new mayor and at least one new member comes to the board, if not two new members.
Ellington said he understood what Mayor Pete O’Geary was saying about it being beneficial to the City staff because they would not have to be there twice per month, but, Ellington said, “then again you want to make sure you get the City’s business done, and you don’t know how easy it is going to be with one meeting per month. It’s always been twice a month, so I don’t know why now it’s some kind of burden.”
Coffey said, “I don’t want anybody thinking that I’m not doing my job for the City, and as far as I’m concerned, once a month is not nearly enough to handle City business. Now during the summer when everybody is on vacation, and we’re not meeting half the time, I mean I could see changing it during the summer time, but not during regular time.”
With only one meeting per month, it would result in a longer agenda, and it could mean less time for the public to speak to the council, in the meeting setting anyway, on issues they are having.
Ellington said, “I respect their vote, but I just don’t know how easy it’s going to be to stay on top of things with once per month meetings.”
WIZS News has left messages with additional council people for comment, and those comments will be added once received, although the position of the council people present at the meeting other than Peace and Coffey is not unknown because they voted for the once per month meeting schedule.