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we have had numerous agenda items addressing topics specifically <br />requested by Council Members. E�amples include the Mayor's request to <br />consider our public notification policy and Council Member Maschka's <br />request to consider pond aesthetics. <br />But, in my view, no individual Council Member should write or edit Staif <br />Reports or be responsible for preparation of agenda matters. If Council <br />Members want to specify policy subjects for Council agendas, or provide <br />their own information about an agenda item to other Council Members, <br />fine. But that should not mean that any Council Member shall prepare <br />agenda matters themselves, such as by editing Staff Reports or directing <br />how St,aff inembers shall exercise their professional judgment. <br />Finally, I suggest that, just as the Council has the authority to specify <br />the start time for Council meetings, the Council should specify the <br />ending time for Council meetings. This suggestion is based on the truism <br />that work expands to fill the time a�ailable. If you don't set an ending <br />time, then it says that time doesn't matter. But it does. Time matters to <br />the public who is paying the bill for all these proceedings. <br />Setting an ending time for Council meetings is also based on the <br />reasonable public expecta.tion that the Council will organize and execute <br />its public policy making work as carefully as private businesses organize <br />and execute their work. Just as it would seem inconvenient to force the <br />public to attend Council meetings before most persons have had a <br />chance to complete a normal work day and have supper, it would also <br />seem inconvenient to expect the public to attend Council meetings late <br />into the evening or night. Conducting the public's business ought to <br />convenience the public. The public is not accommodated when the <br />Council fails to process the public's business in a timely manner. <br />Accordingly, I suggest a rule stating that, unless the Council by a 4/5 <br />vote wishes to extend the mEeting, all Council meetings shall end by 9:00 <br />p.m. Such a rule should motivate all of us to conduct the public's <br />business efficiently and effectively. If agenda items are not completed, <br />they could be addressed at the next meeting or a special meeting. <br />Proposed Rule 4. <br />No Comment. <br />Proposed Rule 5. <br />Function not budgeted. <br />Propoaed Rule 6. <br />I suggest that in ne�rt year's budget the Council consid�r a"blind" voting <br />method using Iights to display all votes at one time after all Council <br />E <br />