The Rhino Times article on Wednesday, Jan. 4, “Substitute Motion By Councilmember Hightower Gets Ignored,” raised questions about how Greensboro City Council meetings are conducted.
The article maintained that, according to Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, Hightower made a legitimate motion to amend the main motion and it should have been voted up or down. However, Mayor Nancy Vaughan with the support of City Attorney Chuck Watts ruled that the motion to amend had to be accepted by Councilmember Tammi Thurm who made the original motion. And with that ruling Hightower’s motion to amend was ignored.
According to Roberts Rules of Order, one way to amend a motion is by substitution, and Hightower did refer to her motion as a substitute motion, which technically is not correct, but it is not uncommon for city councilmembers to “misname” motions, usually those motions are considered despite the councilmember calling it by the wrong name.
But the issue has brought up the question of what rules govern Greensboro City Council meetings.
City Attorney Chuck Watts stated in an email about the way the Greensboro City Council conducts meetings, “We do not use RROO [Robert’s Rules of Order].”
But, there is strong evidence that the City Council is in fact required to conduct its meetings according to Roberts Rules of Order.
The Greensboro – Code of Ordinances Sec. 2-22 states “Rules of Procedure. Except where otherwise provided by law or ordinance, the procedure of the city council shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order.”
According to city ordinance, the meetings are required to be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order, which is the most popular guide to parliamentary procedure in the country with about 80 percent of organizations using it to conduct meetings.
And it raises the question: If Robert’s Rules of Order are not being used to conduct City Council meetings as required by ordinance, what rules are being used?
The answer is simple-what ever they want to do!
City council has no rules of order; they just make it up as they go.
The rules of SNAFU are used by this city council.
Hightower may have used the wrong verbiage, however, there is no doubt of her intent. For Vaughn to ignore Hightower’s motion is prima facie evidence that Vaugh did not want Hightower’s motion to go further. Chuck Watts supporting Vaughn in this matter speaks to my opinion that Watts does Vaughn’s bidding. Watts should not report to City Council.
How many council members can state Robert’s Rules from memory, including Chuck Watts? Maybe City Council needs a parliamentarian to keep order.
It’s called the queen nancy and princess hightower method
We thinks so called attorney watts is full of cow hooey. Has he moved to Greensboro yet like he was supposed to after he was hired and if not why. That was part of his job requirements
Is that a question for the City Attorney?
What rules are being used you ask? Any that Queen Nancy approves.
You voted her in, again!
The answer to your question is easy John. They’re using (National Socialist) Democrat Rules of Order.
Did you really think they play by the rules? Oh,they play by their rules. They probably broke in line in elementary school. I bet they even cheated on school test. It’s hard to break old habits.
You know, now I remember all this “breaking in line” while I was in grade school. Nothing but rude and selfish behavior – how about all the people in line just behind you, not just the next one? Just another form of bullying learned at early age.
Obviously, what rules benefit the situation. Chucks rules or no rules is more like it. Are you really surprised? Unprofessional in every way.
Good question John. And what constitutes the mayor’s “discretion.”
If you voted to keep Nancy in please no comments. We had our chance to rid greensboro of this problem.
It’s good to be the King.
Corporate unaccountable aristocracy for the chopping block.