City Council Abolishes 5 Standing Committees

Saying the move will increase public access and save time, the City Council this week eliminated the city’s five standing committees.

The panels were: finance; harbor, beaches and parks; legislative; public safety; and public works. Each consisted of the mayor and two council members, who discussed issues before bringing them to the full council for a vote.

Mayor Thomas C. Edwards said the process had created more meetings for city staff members to attend, and sometimes the same issue came before separate committees.

“Staff is constantly having to go to meetings, and what we have is the same debate over and over again,” he said at the City Council meeting Monday.

Edwards proposed that the full council hash out issues at study sessions instead, then vote on them at regular council meetings. The afternoon sessions--unlike the committee meetings--also would be televised, thus letting residents who cannot attend videotape the proceedings.

Councilman John W. Hedges cast the lone vote against the measure, saying the more intimate committee meetings allowed for greater give-and-take during discussions and gave citizens a chance to get in on the ground floor of policy making.