2014-0116 Regular City Commission Meeting

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Summary Minutes: Regular City Commission Meeting January 16. 2014 City of Sunny Isles Beach. Florida Commissioner Gatto said she was leaning towards not having the workshops because the resolutions are easy to understand and are not complicated. If we are spending money on something that needs to set done in the City it is laid out and easy to understand. If we have a zoning issue we are not allowed to speak about it. It is really dealing with ordinances and it is a very, easy thing to pick up the phone and call the City Attorney and/or the City Manager to discuss the ordinance. If we do end up having the workshops, she likes the idea of being able to discuss ancillary items in a legal environment. It is something we rarely get to do and she sees no reason to take that away. To recap, primarily she doesn't see a need for the Tuesday workshop meetings however if we do proceed with them. she does not support this. She feels it is important that we get the opportunity not to tie our hands. and to continue discussing the housekeeping issues or any other items. Mayor Edelcup said he is in the middle of this debate as he does not think we need this Ordinance but he does think we need workshops. The workshops do save time for staff in that they don't have to repeat themselves over and over again. The workshops have also shown that sometimes at the workshop a discussion item will come up that one Commissioner will pick up on what another Commissioner has said and were able to improve the resolution or ordinance by Thursday's meeting. He understands Commissioner Scholl's comment that he preferred to have the full debate to take place at the regularh scheduled Commission meeting but there is nothing to prevent that from happening at the Thursday Commission meeting-. If it is still something that is a contested item and/or the Commissioner chooses to have his or her comments on the record as to why he or she may be against or in favor of particular issue. He doesn't think the mere fact of having a workshop denigrates the Commission meeting-. And so his recommendation would be not to pass this Ordinance and continue to have workshops which we will be able to do because even if we defeat this Ordinance. any Commissioner can ask for a workshop. He thinks the Ordinance should be defeated and that wejust continue to have the workshops as long as the majority of Commission feels that there is some good to be rained by it. Commissioner Levin asked City Attorney Ottinot if any Commissioner can call for a workshop at any time. and City Attorney Ottinot said ves, legally any Commissionercan call for a workshop. Commissioner Scholl said the Charter has rules about the Commission's attendance at regular meetings. Citv Attorney Ottinot stated that under the law no votes can be taken, therefore that is why any Commissioner can call and meet. Commissioner Scholl said this is all about public disclosure because we all have strong opinions and when you get in a room tosether and your opinions comes out and they don't get voiced in front of the public like they should in his opinion, and that is his issue. Commissioner Scholl moved and Vice Mayor Aelion seconded a motion to withdraw this ordinance. The motion was approved by a roll call vote of -0 in favor of withdrawing this ordinance. Vote: Commissioner Gatto ves Commissioner Levin ves Commissioner Scholl ves Vice Mayor Aelion ves Iv9ayor Edelcup ves