Council committee-of-the-whole meetings are informal gatherings designed for councilors to hash out problems around the intimacy of a conference table. Though open to the public, they are held in a conference room where space is often limited, prompting occasional gripes from residents who can’t squeeze in. Occasionally, there are demands to move hot-button issues to the council chambers. At a recent Council meeting, Councilor Joel Montgomery mentioned that some of his constituents have recently complained about discussion concerning the Water Works assets battle being held at committee-of-the-whole meetings. Montgomery noted that Tuesday council meetings frequently include only a brief synopsis of what happened in committee-of-the-whole meetings. “I think the public deserves to see what goes on as far as the discussions in the committee-of-the-whole,” observed Montgomery. At that same Council meeting, Councilor Gwen Sykes suggested that committee-of-the-whole meetings be televised when addressing an issue with the magnitude of the Water Works debate. Council President Lee Loder explained that any item can be put on the council agenda if it is added by the Wednesday prior to the Tuesday council meeting. Defending the council’s open operating procedure, Loder said “I think this is one of the most open City Councils in the history of this city. We make every effort to do press releases and notify the public on everything.” Stressing that “‘convenience’ and ‘open’ are two entirely different things,” Loder added, “it probably costs more to be in here [council chambers] and have all the lights on. There are a lot of practical concerns why you wouldn’t want to use a big facility just because we have it.” Councilor Roderick Royal agreed that the “public should be completely aware of how the Council is deliberating.” Though noting that media are sometimes “slanted” because they “report whatever they like,” Royal said that at least three media representatives have been present at each committee-of-the-whole meeting he has attended. But he supports bringing such meetings into the council chamber should consensus dictate. “I’ll sit right here and say what I would have said [in conference rooms]!” Councilor Carole Smitherman echoed Loder’s comments that anything can be brought up on the council dais if it’s submitted in time. “I don’t meet in no smokey back rooms,” laughed Smitherman. “I don’t think it’s fair to say that we’re doing something in the back.”

Citizens Advisory Board supports night council meetings

At its February 18 meeting, the Citizens Advisory Board approved a resolution urging the City Council to conduct at least two meetings per month at night. Councilor Gwen Sykes first proposed evening meetings immediately after her election in November 2001, explaining that night gatherings would be “more representative of our community.” Council President Loder acknowledged that several councilors had expressed interest in holding a series of evening meetings as the previous council had done, which included one per month until each district had played host. Several surrounding municipalities, including Mt. Brook, Hoover, and Vestavia, meet at night.

Council reverses decision

At the February 26 City Council meeting, a trucking and excavating company located near the airport sought rezoning from “residential” to “light industrial.” There are only three homes in the neighborhood (“The trucks look better than most of the houses there,” bragged the trucking company boss.) Such rezoning would be an example of “spot zoning,” considered by many to be a political liability and a threat to residential stability. Councilor Carol Reynolds said the homes around the airport should be purchased due to airport expansion, and supports rezoning the area to commercial in this case. Sykes agreed with Reynolds that the airport neighborhood is different because it will always be threatened by blight due to airport expansion. Admitting that spot zoning is not encouraged, Councilor Carole Smitherman said that business is encouraged. Smitherman voted in support of the rezoning along with Councilors Reynolds, Miller, and Hendricks. Oddly, Sykes abstained. Councilor Montgomery refused to approve spot zoning in the airport neighborhood, fearing it would set a precedent allowing spot zoning in other neighborhoods.

During the following week, Council President Loder met with the city attorney, city clerk, and council administrator after investigating the accuracy of his previous decision, which stated that the four votes approving the rezoning did not constitute a majority of the nine voting members present [Three councilors voted "no" and two abstained]. Citing Roberts Rules of Order, the parliamentary guide for council conduct, Loder corrected his earlier stance that “abstention” votes are included in a total when seeking a majority. The denial of rezoning will be changed to approval of rezoning at the next council meeting after a vote to finalize the switch.

Loder elaborated that Council Administrator Jarvis Patton stated that there may be an “unwritten rule, at least by past practice, that the [previous] council has counted abstentions as actual votes,” said Loder. However, Loder said he would follow Roberts Rules of Order. Councilor Sykes asks the million dollar question: Could the previous council procedures regarding voting supersede present council procedure in a legal challenge?

Loder insisted he will follow Roberts Rules of Order unless he is shown otherwise. “Education is a wonderful thing,” said Councilor Smitherman. Lavishing praise on Loder for researching and correcting the procedural mistake, Smitherman asked everyone to give the Council President a round of applause. All complied with Smitherman’s request.

Police cars to be monitored

Computers similar to the “black boxes” used on aircraft will be placed in police patrol cars at a total cost of $199,000. According to Police Chief Mike Coppage, the boxes “chart the driving habits of the individual officer so that the supervisor can sit down with that officer and explain to him his good points and his bad points.” Over-revving, over-braking, speeding, and operation of sirens and blue lights will be monitored. Funding comes from a federal technology grant, according to Coppage.

Twenty patrol vehicles have recently been tested in the west precinct. The police chief noted that none of them were wrecked in the five months each carried the computer, a driving record that he called “absolutely fantastic.” Also onboard is an automatic vehicle-locator, capable of printing out a map of where the patrol car has been. “It’s also a management tool,” smiled Coppage. “If we happen to pull up that same map and find that we’ve got six police cars parked down at Krispy Kreme, then we want to know about that, too.” Public Safety Committee chairman Joel Montgomery marveled at the driving record that resulted from the computer enhanced patrol cars, asking, “Could I get one in my wife’s vehicle?” &