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

[Tom Hansen]

Mayor Chaney, Supervisor Riedner, and Members of the City Council –

Although each of you is fairly occupied in your daily pursuits, I find
that three weeks is sufficient time to provide me, as well as other
curious citizens, an answer to my initial question concerning proper
authority for Councilman Steed’s motion of May 16 regarding transport of
the ExxonMobil megaloads.

You may find my question detailed at the bottom of this email, accompanied
with its subsequent interactive history between myself and City Supervisor
Gary Riedner.

As Supervisor Riedner is extremely busy with other municipal priorities, I
browsed “Robert’s Rules of Order” (linked below) myself attempting to
locate the authority which I sought from Mr. Riedner.

http://www.rulesonline.com/index.html

I failed to find any such authority.

However, I did find a citation within “Robert’s Rules of Order” that
strictly disallows such a motion made by Councilman Steed.

http://www.rulesonline.com/rror-09.htm#54

“Robert’s Rules of Order”, paragraph 54, accompanied by subparagraph (1)
is quoted:

“54. Adoption or Acceptance of Reports. When the report of a committee has
been received, that is, has been presented to the assembly and either read
or handed to the chair or the secretary, the next business in order is the
disposal of the report, the proper disposition depending upon its nature.

(1) If the report contains only a statement of fact or opinion for the
information of the assembly, the reporting member makes no motion for its
disposal, as there is no necessity for action on the report. But if any
action is taken, the proper motion, which should be made by someone else,
is to "accept the report," which has the effect of endorsing the statement
and making the assembly assume responsibility for it.”

If Mayor Chaney, Supervisor Riedner, or any member of the Moscow City
Council is aware of citations within “Robert’s Rules of Order”, contrary
to this reference, please advise.

Failing that, would it be correct for me to assume that the Moscow City
Council will initiate appropriate action to remove Councilman Steed’s
motion of May 16 and any documentation that accompanied it?

Your response is eagerly anticipated.

Sincerely,

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

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

- Author Unknown






On Wed, June 8, 2011 1:53 pm, Tom Hansen wrote:
> That is fine, Mr. Riedner.
>
> I apologize for my failure to understand the city staff processes and
> workload.
>
> Thank you for your aniticpated response, and again my apologies.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> On Wed, June 8, 2011 1:43 pm, Gary Riedner wrote:
>> Tom:
>>
>> As I indicated to you on June 1, I am in the process of researching and
>> formulating a response to your inquiry. You have indicated that, in your
>> opinion, the Council was given a faulty citation of Robert's Rules and
>> have requested authority for the Council's actions. I anticipate that a
>> response will be forthcoming in a few days. I am trying to do as
>> thorough
>> a job as possible. I apologize for any inconvenience. As always, if you
>> would like to discuss this or any other request or concern, I would be
>> pleased to talk to you. My telephone number is 883-7006.
>>
>> Thank you for your patience.
>>
>> Gary J. Riedner
>> City Supervisor
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Tom Hansen [mailto:thansen at moscow.com]
>> Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2011 1:18 PM
>> To: Gary Riedner; Nancy Chaney; Sue Scott; Dan Carscallen; Tim Brown;
>> Tom
>> Lamar; Walter M Steed; Wayne Krauss; Moscow Vision 2020; Stephanie
>> Kalasz
>> Subject: An Answer, Please . . . Two Weeks Later
>>
>> 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
>>
>>
>
>
> "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
> and the Realist adjusts his sails."
>
> - Author Unknown
>