Menlo Watch: Discussion postponed on council 'protocol' Menlo Watch: Discussion postponed on council 'protocol' (July 27, 2005)

Mayor Mickie Winkler agreed to postpone a discussion and action on her proposed new protocol on City Council members' communications with members of city commissions and task forces.

The proposal was on the July 19 council agenda but was discussed only briefly after Mayor Winkler and others agreed that it would be better to explore the issue further before taking action.

Former councilman Steve Schmidt applauded Mayor Winkler for her effort to establish a protocol, but urged the council to look at rules other cities have in place before taking action.

The issue has become a hot topic, with the mayor coming under fire recently for writing a letter expressing her views to the Planning Commission just before it reconsidered a controversial proposal to streamline approval of single-story home construction projects.

Mayor Winkler came up with the proposal after Mr. Schmidt spoke at a council meeting about the need for rules outlining what is proper and what is not when a council member communicates with council appointees on commissions, she said.

The topic will be placed on a future agenda.
Council meetings canceled

Council members' two-week break has turned into a three-week vacation with the cancellation last week of the July 26 council meeting.

Regular meetings on the first two Tuesdays in August had already been canceled. The council is scheduled to meet again on August 16.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.