[Vision2020] An Answer, Please . . . Two Weeks Later

[Tom Hansen]

Mayor Chaney, Supervisor Riedner, and City Council Members -

It has now been two weeks since I have asked the question deailed below.

Note to Supervisor Riedner:  I included you in this email as an addressee
as you played a key role in explaining your interpretation of a citation
you read from Robert's Book of Rules, a video of which is linked below. 
As such I felt it appropriate to include you in my request.

Councilman Carscallen did respond to my initial query.  However, his
response amounted to . . .

"Under Roberts Rules, which we try to adhere to as best we can, the chair
(in this case the mayor) as a point of order must recognize a motion from
the body. That's where walter's "authority" lies."

This "Because we say so" approach I find to be insufficient.

Again, I submit my question for your review and reply.

Thank you for your hopeful response.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho



On Wed, June 1, 2011 9:05 am, Tom Hansen wrote:
> Thank you, Mr. Riedner.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
>
> On Wed, June 1, 2011 9:03 am, Gary Riedner wrote:
>> Tom:
>>
>> I received your email and am in process of researching and formulating a
>> response, as requested by Moscow's elected officials.
>>
>> Gary
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Tom Hansen [mailto:thansen at moscow.com]
>> Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2011 5:25 AM
>> To: Nancy Chaney; Gary Riedner; Sue Scott; Dan Carscallen; Tim Brown;
>> Tom
>> Lamar; Walter M Steed; Wayne Krauss; Moscow Vision 2020
>> Cc: Stephanie Kalasz
>> Subject: An Answer, Please!
>>
>> Mayor Chaney, Supervisor Riedner, and members of the Moscow City Council
>> -
>>
>> On May 25th (a week ago) I submitted the question below for your
>> consideration and response.
>>
>> Would a simple response of "We'll look into it" be asking too much of
>> our
>> elected officials?
>>
>> Your apathy can be explained in only one of two options.  You are either
>> ignoring the issue or you are ignoring your constituents!
>>
>> Which is it?
>>
>> Most sincerely,
>>
>> Tom Hansen
>> Moscow, Idaho
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, May 25, 2011 4:15 pm, Tom Hansen wrote:
>>> Madame Mayor, City Supervisor Riedner, and members of the Moscow City
>>> Council . . .
>>>
>>> As a discussion on Vision 2020 (a local community listserve),
>>> concerning transport of the ExxonMobil megaloads through the city of
>>> Moscow, became heated, my curiosity turned toward , , ,
>>>
>>> Under what authority did Council Member Walter Steed move, or resolve,
>>> that a position in favor of the megaloads be adopted by the city
>>> council?
>>>
>>> Upon reviewing the video of the May 16th city council session, I found
>>> that City Supervisor Gary Riedner quoted a passage from "Roberts Rules
>>> of Order" that he interpreted to provide such authority.
>>>
>>> For analysis and discussion I transcribed Mr. Riedner's citation,
>>> verbatim, from the video as follows (with a link to the video, so that
>>> you may read along with him).
>>>
>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dM12GbCbKQ
>>>
>>> "After the presentation of a report of an officer, a board or a
>>> committee, one or more motions to carry out recommendations contained
>>> in the report may be introduced.  Motion may also grow out of the
>>> presentation of a written communication of the assembly."
>>>
>>> I fail to see ANY authority, within the citation, that provides
>>> Council Member Steed to make a motion or present a resolution without
>>> "recommendations contained in the report" or "a written communication
>>> of the assembly."
>>>
>>> Could you please enlighten me as to the proper authority permitting
>>> Council Member Steed's motion to proceed to a vote?
>>>
>>> Thank you for your anticipated response.
>>>
>>> Tom Hansen
>>> Moscow, Idaho
>>>
>>> "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to
>>> change and the Realist adjusts his sails."
>>>
>>> - Author Unknown
>>>
>>
>>
>> "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to
>> change
>> and the Realist adjusts his sails."
>>
>> - Author Unknown
>>
>>
>
>
> "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
> and the Realist adjusts his sails."
>
> - Author Unknown
>


"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Author Unknown