I wish to Congratulate all the candidates that were elected or reelected to Serve The Community this past Tuesday.
I write wishing the Council will make a small, but very important, rule change when they organize next year. I may be out of touch with how things are to operate nowadays, but if I were a Councilor today, I certainly would be a maverick. I preface my remarks by acknowledging that I don’t watch as many Council Meetings that I should. But, when I do physically or on TV, I am often disappointed in what I see. I have felt the Council is meek and couldn’t understand why. I have now found out why. The Council has abandoned the strength they have.
I see a violation of Roberts Rule of Order where the President is allowed to make a motion without vacating the chair; allowing the Vice President to preside in order for him to make a motion. Of course, the Vice President, more than not, beats the other Councilors in seconding the motion. In the past, if uninformed on Roberts Rules, we were provided the necessary information. I guess that has continued.
I was prompted to read the current Council Rules voted in 2022. The Rules initiated a procedural gap weakening regular Councilors. The Councilors weakened themselves by eliminating the rule that two or more Councilors can bring a matter to the floor. The Council I served on would never have given up this provision.
Today, I am angry, only two days after the election. I see the Council bereft on Social Issues. A couple of years ago I attempted to present a Resolution decrying Anti-Semitism. One person blocked it.
Today, I emailed a draft Resolution to the Council outlining steps the City could consider that may help protect the city’s immigrant residents from being swept up in ICE RAIDS without due process. One person blocked it.
You can rebuke me without explaining once but I am not going to allow it a second time. I do not go away quietly in a corner.
Massachusetts municipal practice and parliamentary norms contains the allowance that two or more Councilors can bring a matter before the Council. Thus, I am surprised that the Council gave up this measure. I know ours would not.
Clyde Younger
Former Watertown Council President