By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Mona Town Council members agreed to a schedule they will
use for the two meetings they will hold each month.
Meetings will be held the second and fourth Tuesdays
of each month but not all business will be handled at each
meeting.
"There was an ordinance set in 1992," said Rick
Schnurr. At the time, it was decided to hold only one
meeting a month on the second Tuesday of each month.
Council member, Glenda Buchanan, looked up the
requirements for changing the meeting schedules in a book
prepared by the Utah League of Cities and Towns and found
that it was suggested an ordinance be adopted.
"Then let us amend our present ordinance," said
Darlene Fowkes, council member.
Schnurr presented council members with a suggested
schedule for each of the meetings and council members added
two more items&emdash;workshops and paying the
bills&emdash;before adopting the schedules.
Times had been listed for the various bits of council
business to be addressed each of the weeks.
"Rick (Schnurr), didn't you want to eliminate the
times on the schedule and instead list each of the items by
letter, such as A, B, C, etc.?" asked Doran Kay. "I thought
you suggested it so we could move through the agenda without
having to wait for a specific time."
It was decided that at the first meeting each month
the council would A. approve the previous minutes, B. cover
council business if needed, C. receive the planning
commission report, would D. have the hearing of delegations,
and would E. pay the bills, and F. have an executive
session, if necessary.
At the second meeting of each month the council will
A. approve the minutes of the previous meeting, B. have
staff reports, C. have council reports, D. have the
financial report, and E. have an executive session, if
needed.
"The second meeting of each month looks more
controlled to me," said Scott Nelson,
secretary/treasurer.
"We have, out of necessity, been meeting twice each
month for the past several months," said Schnurr.
His only concern, said Mayor Bryce Lynn, was that the
intent would be lost. "Instead of having two short two-hour
meetings, we will have two four-hour meetings."
Nevertheless, Lynn said he was willing to vote for the
two-monthly meeting schedule.
"Sometimes we don't make the best decisions because we
are here so long at a time&emdash;five hours or so," said
Schnurr. "We get tired and are not thinking clearly."
If the council has concerns, they can discuss them
following the meeting or before the meeting in a work
session, which is still open to the public. Or if they are
items that can legally be addressed in an executive session,
the council may hold one.
"I think the schedule will get us out of meeting on
the first week at 9 p.m. and on the second week at 8 p.m.,"
said Schnurr. "But we have so much business to do that we
need more time to get done and this should take care of
that."
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