[Vision2020] Moscow's Elected Officials and Commitment

[Dan Carscallen]

I misread your initial query regarding the attendance and whatnot, so I
apologize for that.  I'm sure that information could be tabulated.

I also erred elsewhere in my posting:  Councilman Krauss is up again in
2015, Councilman Steed is up in 2013

Your pal

DC

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Hansen [mailto:thansen at moscow.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 12:49 PM
To: Dan Carscallen
Cc: Moscow Vision 2020
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Moscow's Elected Officials and Commitment

Thank you for your discussion, Dan.

My suggestion of accountability for session attendance by city council
members was intended to result in more than a mere knee-jerk posting to the
Viz.

It is my opinion that, when the citizens of Moscow cast their votes for city
council, they want to know that the candidates for whom they vote are
reliable and dependable.  

The city council meets publicly in 24 sessions each year.  If a council
member (regardless of their political party affiliation, as I stated
earlier) is unable to attend sessions two evenings a month to discuss issues
important to his/her constituents, perhaps they do not belong on the Moscow
City Council.

The people have a right to know.  A simple tally reflecting how many
sessions each council member has missed would be easy to maintain.

If GovTrack can monitor legislative attendance of 500+ members of congress .
. . 

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/members

Certainly the city can monitor council session attendance by six council
members and one mayor, posting these records publicly as each member is up
for reelection.
 
Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"If not us, who?
If not now, when?"

- Unknown



On Apr 17, 2012, at 12:15, "Dan Carscallen" <areaman at moscow.com> wrote:

> Tom,
> 
> We do keep track.  
> 
> I think everyone has been absent a time or two, including Her Honor, 
> because I believe I've run one council meeting this year as acting 
> mayor, and I know I ran one last year when both she and Councilman Krauss
were absent.
> Councilman Lamar was gone for a month this year (he lucked out that we 
> cancelled meetings in the interim), and a month last year, sort of an 
> annual vacation thing, just like Councilman Steed is right now.  
> Councilor Scott took some vacation time as well earlier this year.  
> I've called in sick at the last minute at least once, and once I 
> skipped because of a death in the family.
> 
> It's only distressing when we can't get a quorum. Or when something 
> untoward happens, like when councilman Dickinson went missing (which 
> was distressing on multiple levels)
> 
> We try to schedule our outings around meetings, but our families don't 
> revolve around us.  We all have to work things around multiple 
> vacation schedules, and for me family comes first.
> 
> As far as who's up for election when: The Mayor, Councilors Brown, 
> Scott, and Krauss are up in 2013.  Myself, Councilors Lamar and Steed 
> are up in 2015.
> 
> Thanks for your concern.
> 
> Your pal
> 
> DC
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com 
> [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
> On Behalf Of Tom Hansen
> Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 11:04 AM
> To: Moscow Vision 2020
> Subject: [Vision2020] Moscow's Elected Officials and Commitment
> 
> Greetings all -
> 
> Rumor (from a reliable source) has it that Councilman Walter Steed 
> could not participate in last night's city council session as he was 
> away on vacation in Europe.
> 
> Elected city officials (regardless of which side of the political 
> aisle) should be held into account for failing to fulfill their 
> municipal obligations. Anything short of that merely encourages a lack 
> of responsibility.
> 
> I suggest that the city, for the sake of its citizens, maintain a 
> record of absences (accompanied with reasons for each absence) as a 
> matter of public record, and be made publicly accessible when each 
> elected official is up for reelection.
> 
> It's only right!
> 
> Seeya round town, Moscow.
> 
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
> 
> "If not us, who?
> If not now, when?"
> 
> - Unknown
> 
> 
> 
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