[tonyd]

I posted this on another thread but wanted to start a new topic about past council meetings

Przybylinski drones on

Robert's Rules of Order" may be dry reading, but anyone holding public office ought to be familiar with it. Consider this passage on the conduct of the president or chairman of board:
"If the chairman has even the appearance of being a partisan, he loses much of his ability to control those who are on the opposite side of the question. There is nothing to justify the unfortunate habit some chairmen have of constantly speaking on questions before the assembly, even interrupting the member who has the floor. One who expects to take an active part in debate should never accept the chair, or at least should not resume the chair, after having made his speech, until after the pending question is disposed of ...
"The chairman should not only be familiar with parliamentary usage, and set the example of strict conformity thereto, but he should be a man of executive ability, capable of controlling men. He should set an example of courtesy, and should never forget that to control others it is necessary to control one's self."
"Robert's Rules of Order" has been around since 1915 and its long-established rules spell out how to run a public meeting, and who can speak and when. Unfortunately, it appears Michigan City Common Council President Paul Przybylinski has never read it.
Since he took over as council president at the beginning of the year, he appears to be more enamored of the title than he does of carrying out the serious responsibilities that title requires.
Anyone who has been unfortunate enough to sit through a City Council meeting knows exactly what I'm talking about. Przybylinski drones on and on, either saying nothing or going off on a tangent about something that isn't even remotely related to the issue up for discussion.
Consider Tuesday's meeting in which Przybylinski cast the lone vote against the city's 2005 budget. His reason for voting no?
The city budget didn't spend enough money on tutoring programs.
Since when is it the city's responsibility to operate tutoring programs? Isn't that the responsibility of the school board? Isn't that why the Michigan City Public Library and the A.K. Smith Career Center have tutoring classes? Isn't that why the Boys and Girls Club has tutoring classes? How about the tutoring programs sponsored by H.O.P.E. or the after-school programs sponsored by Safe Harbor?
None of that seemed to matter to Przybylinski. He used the lack of tutoring money to bash Mayor Chuck Oberlie.
"There's a significant need to get money for literacy. There's a significant need. Monies need to be targeted within the education system," said Przybylinski. No one disagrees but it is not the city's responsibility.
And I'm not alone in my feelings about Przybylinski's little tirades. Take a look at the eight other council members as he drones on. They roll their eyes. They put their head in their hands. They shake their heads.
One council member told me he has written Przybylinski notes reminding him of points of order (they're spelled out in "Roberts Rules of Order"), but instead of acting professionally, the council member told me, Przybylinski sent the notes back with snide comments that since he's the president he can run the meeting as he sees fit.
That was in evidence Tuesday when he spent 10 minutes harping on Oberlie's budget two weeks after he ambushed Fire Chief Ralph Martin in an incredible display of public disrespect during a budget hearing. But after he finished his tirade, Przybylinski got a sample of his own medicine.
Marge Jamieson, a board member for the Michigan City Housing Authority and a resident of Boulevard Gardens, stood up and railed against Przybylinski and his ally, Councilman Phil Jankowski, calling them an embarrassment because of the way they publicly disrespect city officials (specifically she mentioned Oberlie, Martin and Sanitary District General Manager Al Walus) and don't let them properly do their jobs.
Przybylinski sat there stone-faced and didn't respond.
A few minutes later, after listening to comments from another resident who had a complaint about a barking dog and its droppings, Przybylinski turned childish. He said he was sure the mayor would be happy to handle the problem. "I'll let him do his job," Przybylinski said.
That behavior is inexcusable. Why not turn over the complaint to animal control and move on.
An out-of-town developer was at a recent City Council meeting when Przybylinski went off. The developer said he was shocked.
"Are all meetings like this?"
When told that it wasn't unusual, he replied, "That's so unprofessional."
No kidding.

[RedDevilMC]

How old is this? Was Paul the PResident before Ron and Willie?