Here We Go Again
Council Shenanigan’s Part 2
Editorial
Written by John Face
City Watch NEWS
September 4, 2021
At the Tuesday September 7, 2021 meeting of the Albion City Council our council members are bringing another resolution to be considered and located deep inside this resolution is another attempt to slam and blame the City Manager in a very back handed but obvious way. The resolution, which is below in this story, is primarily focused on decorum.
The guess of this writer is that the council didn’t like the large turnout of citizens the last time they tried to suspend the City Manager. This resolution basically addresses the alleged lack of control of the Mayor and that everyone needs to play nice, especially citizens who disagree. Apparently lack of control means people getting at them, the council that is, for their sneaky actions. Nowhere in the resolution does it address Council member Nora Jackson yelling at residents who called her out for her actions. Everyone in Albion knew what the Jackson/Reid resolution was about apparently except one of the people who brought it forward, that being Council Member Jackson who insisted that there is no attempt to fire the City Manager.
The fact is this resolution really shouldn’t be on the agenda. Everything in the resolution is already a rule. If council members have an issue that the Mayor allowed people to speak passionately they can go talk to her privately. No this resolution is about the very last whereas that is aimed at Haley Snyder and no amount of yelling at the audience will change that fact.
This new Resolution again uses too many “whereas” similar to the resolutions former Mayor Garrett Brown was famous for. The resolution is a thinly veiled attempt to neuter the City Manager and any other members of council who disagree. There appears to be a hidden agenda with these council members, one that makes this writer question what’s up.
So here we are again, if you support the City Manager you better show up and stand with her and shut this down again. It is hoped that Council member LaNoue will have the guts to show up in person this time. She along with Council member Clark are the ones bringing this forward to council. Read the resolution carefully, because citizens being passionate and against the council is considered bad. So here is the resolution, whereas and all:
City of Albion
RESOLUTION #2021 –
City of Albion’s Commitment to Ensure Preservation of Order and Civil Discourse
Purpose and Finding: The City of Albion held a special meeting for city council members on August 24, 2021. During the meeting, confusion and discord spun out of control, causing harm and further concern that continues to negatively impact city officials’ ability to operate on one accord.
WHEREAS, the city council deserves to be treated with respect and dignity throughout the course of its duty as the legislative body of the city;
WHEREAS, Section 1-28 – “Ethics” of the City of Albion’s Charter and Code of Ordinances states that it is the sworn duty and primary responsibility of all city council members and the mayor to ensure that they understand and meet the standards set forth in the Ethics ordinance, that the public can continue to have full confidence in the integrity of government;
WHEREAS, the chair of the council must be consistent in ruling over the decorum of city council meetings to ensure the preservation of order in the council chambers. Furthermore, city council members have the power to create a resolution, call a special meeting, and ensure that the processes of the city are functioning properly. Yet, when misinformation is spread from members of the city council, this can cause people to react in a hostile way that incites malice toward the City and damages relations amongst city officials and the public at-large;
WHEREAS, private discourse and electronic communication while council is in session are not allowed, per the City of Albion’s Rules of Procedure. Furthermore, secrecy within the decision-making process and regular, unrecorded private meetings with three of the city’s foremost leaders, all undermine the ability to build trust amongst the City of Albion’s governing body;
WHEREAS, a lack of necessary information for decision-making, particularly when specific information has been requested, also creates the atmosphere for a hostile working environment.
WHEREAS, an ongoing unwillingness from city administration to initiate engagement with city council members and the public at-large, after requests for this have been made, creates additional cause for concern by council members to question: what is preventing necessary engagement at this pivotal time in the city’s history? Additionally, this leads residents to ask, if the leaders of city hall do not have the time to develop solutions for the city’s conflicts, who else in the city does?
RESOLVED, that the city council directs the mayor to preserve order during city council meetings, pursuant to the city council Rules of Procedure and Ethics Ordinance; be it further
RESOLVED, that the entire city council recommits to its duty to act in accordance to the City Council Rules of Procedure and Ethics Ordinance.
Date: September 7, 2021
Ayes: _______
Nays: _______
Absent: _______
I certify that this resolution was adopted by the City Council of the City of Albion on September 7, 2021.
______________________________
Jill Domingo
City Clerk
City Watch News Blog 
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