Is it time for changes in the city arrorney’s office?
A previous post Don’t blame me I just voted for it pointed out that no one over at the city is reading the stuff that city council votes on. Council had passed a voting ordinance setting up the May 2013 election. The wording of the ordinance was defective so they had to bring it back up in order to amend it.
The city staff blamed it on a Scrivener’s error — you know a harmless little mistake that some clerk should have caught. Actually the staff at the city attorney’s office, the city manager, the municipal clerk, and the members of council should have caught it.
Anyway, eventually it was caught and the ordinance was voted on again.
Well as it turns out they still did not read the ordinance.
As passed the second time the ordinance specifies the following ballot language for proposition one:
“Shall sections 2.1 A and B, 2.2E, 2.3A, 2.4A and 8.7, of the City Charter relating to the conduct of elections, City officers, and terms of office: to move the City’s general elections from May in odd numbered years to November in even numbered years beginning in 2018; to revise the requirements for filing for office to conform with state law; to provide for the scheduling of special elections on dates when the election will be conducted by the County Elections Administrator; and to provide that the Council may take action to increase the number of district representatives from eight to ten at such time as the City’s population reaches one million?”
Confusing? Hard to read? Don’t worry it doesn’t say anything.
There is no verb!
The wording starts with “Shall” — asking permission to act. No action is requested. They probably meant “Shall sections … be amended; to move…”. Then again, what do I know?
If this ordinance goes to the voters and is approved, what will happen? Will Scrivener have to work overtime again?
These are serious matters yet the city cannot spend the time to get them right. Could it be that in their arrogance they feel that whatever they want to do they can do — and the public does not matter?
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 