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The rules for the Proposition A committee are still being worked out after Houston City Council’s first meeting on Tuesday morning.
An unofficial draft of the rules was available for the public to look at during the first committee meeting. According to the draft, council members would be required to request an item be placed on the agenda in writing and have the signatures of three or more council members. The request must be “lawful” and include a copy of the draft resolution, motion, and ordinance that would be considered at city council.
Alternatively, council members can submit a proposed agenda item to the committee first, according to the draft. A council member could then see if there is support from any others through discussion. The committee could then agree with placing the city council agenda within the next two regular council meetings, disagree with placing the item on the agenda, or propose further evaluation.
83% of Houston voters approved Proposition A in November, which gives three or more council members the power to add items to the agenda. Before, only the Mayor could choose what items were on the council’s agenda.
Council member Edward Pollard was absent from the meeting. His staff member who attended the meeting in his place said Pollard was not in attendance because the committee goes against the intention of voters.
“We worked well with the mayor’s office, we got an item vetted… it came to council to refer back to a committee for what, more vetting? We already did that,” Paul Young, Pollard’s staff member, said. “This is concerning because if we can’t bring an item to the agenda because it gets stuck because we don’t have a quorum or we don’t have a vote, what happens to our item?”
Pollard was one of three council members who brought an amendment to extend metered parking hours to be considered on the city council’s agenda. Young said Pollard has since decided not to move forward with this item, but the amendment was still placed on the agenda for the first Proposition A committee meeting.
The Open Meetings Act requires that the majority of a government body, in this case, the committee, be at any given meeting to discuss and cast a vote. For the committee, nine members have to be present for these meetings.
Council member Amy Peck said she is concerned the committee could be used to put off or block an item.
“People should be at every committee meeting, but that’s just not realistic, that’s not what happens,” she said. “… That’s why this charter amendment was brought by the people so that there’s a way to take a vote in another manner, rather than having this special call meeting that no one attends.”
Council Member Julian Ramirez said he has appreciated working with Mayor John Whitmire in the past few months. He said Whitmire is willing to listen to council members and encourages healthy debate.
“That said, when we consider rules, I hope we recognize that whatever rules are considered and ultimately passed will outlast our relationship with this mayor,” he said. “And one day we might find ourselves, or this council might find itself working with a mayor who is not as forthcoming or welcoming of comments from council members.”
For now, council is still finalizing rules for the committee.
“Full appreciation for all the work that’s been done on this, council members have additional views to submit to the administration so that we can all work together with the best final product,” Ramirez said.