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Meer Aims To Reform Role Of Committees
Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch
MICHIGAN CITY - City Council workshops may end after council President Ron Meer said the board will begin adhering to an ordinance it hasn't followed in recent years.
Meer said he plans to reform special and standing committees and use them in accordance with city ordinance, which says the council president "shall hand all proposed ordinances to their respective committees before second reading."
"We haven't been practicing that and no one was objecting, so they just didn't do it," Meer said. "There was an unwritten rule that we wouldn't go by the rules. Now, we're going to go by the rules."
Meer last week announced the formation of 10 three-member standing committees and four three-member special committees, and named 13 liaisons to city commissions and boards.
He said the move could create more work for council members, who now could be asked to meet once a week to discuss proposed legislation.
"Obviously, I won't refer the simple stuff to committee, but things that need discussion will be," Meer said.
In the two meetings since he was elected president by fellow council members, Meer has sent at least three proposed ordinances to committee. He said the finance committee is likely to be the busiest because so many ordinances deal with money.
Already, the committee is planning to meet to discuss Mayor Chuck Oberlie's move to create a position for an equal opportunity employment officer, as well as the position's salary ordinance.
Fourth Ward Democrat Pat Boy said the new format could create more work for council members, but it also would save other council members time.
With recommendations coming from committees, full discussions at council meetings likely would dwindle.
"But that won't keep me from (looking over every issue) anyway," Boy said. "Either way - either in committee or in a workshop - we're working on it in a meeting."
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A list of council committees
The following committees have been formed by Michigan City Common Council President Ron Meer:
Standing
committees
Finance: Chair, Mark Espar; members, Phil Jankowski, Angie Starks.
Humane Activities: Chair, Jankowski; members, Espar, Starks.
Judiciary and Rules: Chair, Bob McKee; members, Meer, Willie Milsap.
Licenses and franchises: Chair Pat Boy; members, Joe Doyle, Starks.
Parks and Recreation: Chair, Doyle; members, Starks, McKee.
Planning and Zoning: Chair, Boy; members, Richard Murphy, Starks.
Public Health and Safety: Chair, Starks; members, Milsap, Espar.
Streets and Alleys: Chair, Milsap; members, Meer, Jankowski.
Utilities: Chair, Jankowski; members, Murphy, Starks.
Waters and Harbors: Chair, Espar; members, Doyle, McKee.
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Special committees
Code Review: Chair, Doyle; members, Boy, McKee.
Ethics: Chair, Milsap; members, Starks, Meer.
Labor Relations: Chair, Doyle; members, Murphy, Espar.
Tax Abatement: Chair, Jankowski; members, Starks, Espar.
Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch
MICHIGAN CITY - City Council workshops may end after council President Ron Meer said the board will begin adhering to an ordinance it hasn't followed in recent years.
Meer said he plans to reform special and standing committees and use them in accordance with city ordinance, which says the council president "shall hand all proposed ordinances to their respective committees before second reading."
"We haven't been practicing that and no one was objecting, so they just didn't do it," Meer said. "There was an unwritten rule that we wouldn't go by the rules. Now, we're going to go by the rules."
Meer last week announced the formation of 10 three-member standing committees and four three-member special committees, and named 13 liaisons to city commissions and boards.
He said the move could create more work for council members, who now could be asked to meet once a week to discuss proposed legislation.
"Obviously, I won't refer the simple stuff to committee, but things that need discussion will be," Meer said.
In the two meetings since he was elected president by fellow council members, Meer has sent at least three proposed ordinances to committee. He said the finance committee is likely to be the busiest because so many ordinances deal with money.
Already, the committee is planning to meet to discuss Mayor Chuck Oberlie's move to create a position for an equal opportunity employment officer, as well as the position's salary ordinance.
Fourth Ward Democrat Pat Boy said the new format could create more work for council members, but it also would save other council members time.
With recommendations coming from committees, full discussions at council meetings likely would dwindle.
"But that won't keep me from (looking over every issue) anyway," Boy said. "Either way - either in committee or in a workshop - we're working on it in a meeting."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A list of council committees
The following committees have been formed by Michigan City Common Council President Ron Meer:
Standing
committees
Finance: Chair, Mark Espar; members, Phil Jankowski, Angie Starks.
Humane Activities: Chair, Jankowski; members, Espar, Starks.
Judiciary and Rules: Chair, Bob McKee; members, Meer, Willie Milsap.
Licenses and franchises: Chair Pat Boy; members, Joe Doyle, Starks.
Parks and Recreation: Chair, Doyle; members, Starks, McKee.
Planning and Zoning: Chair, Boy; members, Richard Murphy, Starks.
Public Health and Safety: Chair, Starks; members, Milsap, Espar.
Streets and Alleys: Chair, Milsap; members, Meer, Jankowski.
Utilities: Chair, Jankowski; members, Murphy, Starks.
Waters and Harbors: Chair, Espar; members, Doyle, McKee.
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Special committees
Code Review: Chair, Doyle; members, Boy, McKee.
Ethics: Chair, Milsap; members, Starks, Meer.
Labor Relations: Chair, Doyle; members, Murphy, Espar.
Tax Abatement: Chair, Jankowski; members, Starks, Espar.
