A question of consent

COEUR d’ALENE —  More than $550,000 of public expenses on the Coeur d’Alene City Council consent calendar caught the attention of Councilman Dan Gookin.

There was $312,945 for a new closed circuit TV system for the wastewater department, $192,240 for the Linden Well Pump Rehabilitation project, and $47,769.56 for a contract with HMH Engineering.

“I’ve seen in the past million-dollar budget items, contracts and stuff on a consent calendar,” Gookin said at the recent council meeting.

Such items, he argued, belong on the City Council’s regular agenda so the public can comment and ask questions and the city can shed more light on its operations.

“I think the public’s business should take place in the public,” Gookin said. “This is the business meeting.”

The consent calendar, also known as a consent agenda, is a tool used by governing boards and councils to streamline meeting procedures by collecting routine, non-controversial items into a group so all can be passed with a single motion and vote. 

Mayor Jim Hammond agreed with Gookin that what goes on the consent calendar needs to be reviewed.

Hammond directed council members Woody McEvers and Amy Evans, who chair the two General Services/Public Works subcommittees, Gookin and a few city administrators to discuss the criteria for deciding what goes on the consent calendar.

Most consent calendar items have been reviewed and recommended by the subcommittees.

Hammond noted it would be nice to outline for the public why the city is spending more than $300,000 on a new TV system.

“Some of those items that we actually consider under the regular agenda could be educational for us and the public,” he said.

Council member Dan English suggested setting a certain amount of money, or the creation of criteria, to determine what’s on the consent calendar.

The need for subcommittees, which are scheduled to meet monthly, was also questioned by Gookin.

Evans, English and Christie Wood form one subcommittee, while McEvers, Kiki Miller and Gookin form the other. They sometimes hear presentations that are repeated for the council.

Gookin said the General Services/Public Works meetings were created by Mayor Jim Fromm, who served from 1981 to 1985, because council meetings were running five and six hours. He wanted to shorten them and removed routine items from the council’s agenda.

“That cut down on the meeting times — we’re not in that situation now,” Gookin said, noting meetings are generally short.

“I really don’t see the need to have the subcommittees when all this business can be handled during the business meeting,” he said.

McEvers disagreed. He said the committees have value. 

“This government thing is at least different from my world. Being on all these committees gives you some insight on how these guys do their job,” he said.

It’s a good time for council members to ask questions, learn what departments do and how they spend money, McEvers said.

“I always find that fascinating,” he said. 

Because the council meets twice a month, the subcommittees help keep them involved, McEvers added.

“It gives you a better understanding, I  think,” he said.

Gookin disagreed. 

He said council members are free to visit any city department and find out what’s going on.

“We don’t need to be going to a meeting to save time at a meeting that’s already short,” he said. 

Wood said she did not want to see council meetings return to five-hour agendas.

“I’m not interested in putting very single one of these items on a long council meeting,” she said. 

Wood said the subcommittee meetings are open to the public, agendas are offered in advance on the city’s website, and the meetings are recorded and televised.

“I think that’s a lot of transparency,” she said.

Miller said the subcommittees meetings offer a chance for council and staff to discuss key items, hash out details, and “the public gets a better shot.” 

“I feel like the subcommittee meetings do keep our major meeting more efficient,” she said. 

Hammond ended the debate on a light note.

"Who’s gong to volunteer to sit here for five hours with Dan while the rest of us finish up the meeting and go?" he said.