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Ogdensburg City Council moves resolution reading duty to staff members

Posted 1/16/20

BY JIMMY LAWTON North Country This Week OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg City Council members will no longer read resolutions aloud at their meetings. Instead that duty will be passed on to city staff. …

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Ogdensburg City Council moves resolution reading duty to staff members

Posted

BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg City Council members will no longer read resolutions aloud at their meetings. Instead that duty will be passed on to city staff.

Despite opposition from city councilors Dan Skamperle and Nichole Kennedy, the council voted 4-2 to pass a resolution that would change how resolutions are introduced at council meetings.

The proposal by Deputy Mayor John Rishe would have the city clerk, city manager or other appropriate staff member read resolutions at meetings. The city council would then discuss and vote on them.

Rishe told the council that part of the goal was to have some context given as to what the resolutions would involve and impact. He said staff would be suited to deliver that type of description.

Councilor Skamperle vehemently opposed the change. He said as lawmakers, the councilors should be reading the proposed laws to the public. He said the practice is common throughout most municipalities and the change would be a neglect of duty.

Kennedy also opposed the change. She said that she prefers to introduce resolutions when she supports them and has put work into creating them. She said she believes the duty should remain with city council.

However, the new council members said the change was appropriate and voted in favor.

Rishe said that was to ensure any appropriate change in the city charter could be made to make the new practice aligns with the charter.