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Norton Council struggles with quorum issues at latest meeting

9/6/2012 - West Side Leader
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By John Benson

A mere formality is how Norton City Council President Don Nicolard (D-Ward 2) described the Aug. 28 33-minute Council meeting.

“Basically our charter specifically calls for a mandatory meeting a month,” Nicolard said. “We just came off summer break. We had had a committee of the whole meeting a week ago Monday, but I was unable to fill a quorum on Monday night [Aug. 27], so I moved it to Tuesday night to hopefully fill the quorum, but I still didn’t have a quorum. I had quorum to read legislation but didn’t have a quorum to vote.”

The Norton charter dictates a quorum of five is required for Council to vote, he said. Those in attendance Aug. 28 were Council members Nicolard, Dennis McGlone (at large), Charlotte Whipkey (at large) and Bill Mowery (Ward 3). While Councilmen Todd Bergstrom (Ward 1) and Scott Pelot (at large) had excused absences, Council was one member short with the recent resignation of City Council Vice President Ken Braman (Ward 4), who decided to retire effective Aug. 15.

“The vacated seat has created a bit of a problem because if you have seven, it’s not that hard to get five, but if you have six, you’re looking to get them all,” Nicolard said. “So, yes, it’s definitely an impediment and impairment, but Mr. Braman was a wonderful public servant, and I don’t blame him in the least. I trust him. He feels he did what was necessary. So it’s a little inconvenient for the rest of us, but that’s too bad for the rest of us.”

According to Norton Council Clerk Karla Richards, Council has 30 days from the time of Braman’s resignation to appoint a replacement to the seat. The Ward 4 term expires Dec. 31, 2013.

Residents interested in the seat had until Aug. 31 to submit a letter of interest or résumé. Richards said the following residents have applied for the seat — Mark Spisak, Gerald Wise, John Conklin, Paul Tousley and Jim Pekarek.

Richards said Council had scheduled a special meeting for Sept. 4 and may vote on the replacement. [See related News & Notes item on Page 3.]

In other business, Nicolard said Council had first readings on numerous issues, including an ordinance that would terminate certain existing fire levies if voters approve the 4.6-mill fire levy that is on the Nov. 6 General Election ballot.

Council also had a first reading of an ordinance that would certify to the Summit County Fiscal Office the unpaid revised assessments for the completed Gardner Boulevard Phase III Project, which included the construction of water mains, hydrants and related improvements.

“That’s to finally assess those people for that project that was completed two years ago,” Nicolard said.

Also during the meeting, members discussed the new policy of moving the comments from the public portion of the Council meeting to the very end just prior to adjournment.

As Council president, Nicolard said he made the change. Mowery, Whipkey and McGlone said they believe residents should be able to speak at the beginning of the meetings.

Nicolard said that Council Rule 312 allows him the authority to make the change. He also said he made the switch to create a more productive meeting.

The next regular Council meeting is set for Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers at the Safety Administration Building, 4060 Columbia Woods Drive.

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