The following is an open letter to the 2009 Albert Lea City Council.

Dear Mike Murtaugh, Vern Rasmussen, Larry Baker, Ellen Kehr, Reid Olson, Larry Anderson and Al “Minnow” Brooks:

The Albert Lea Tribune isn’t merely asking to get rid of the Thursday preagenda meetings. We are asking for changing the agenda of the regular meetings so that the preagenda meetings are made unnecessary.

Try this agenda format on for size in 2009:

Call to order and roll call

Consent items

New items

Action items

Mayor and council reports

Public forum

Adjournment

Then impose a new rule of order on yourselves: You will not take action on items introduced at the meetings. In other words, new items are discussed under “New items,” but there are no votes taken.

The items then return at another meeting, usually two weeks later, under “Action items.” That is when votes are cast.

The preagenda meeting’s purpose has been to discuss new items. But in the format proposed above, you don’t need the preagenda meetings. And the preagenda meetings only give the council members four days — and only two business days — to research matters. The new agenda format gives council members at least two weeks to research matters. You get at least two weeks to talk to constituents. You will cast sound, confident votes.

OK, you might be worried about longer meetings. The fact is, the opposite will happen. Because you will be more knowledgeable on the items at a meeting, there will be less speculation and less trivial discussion. You can get down to brass tacks.

Just to prove our point, this agenda format is one manner in which larger cities get so much business done without super long meetings.

The preagenda meeting has other problems anyway. The council meeting as a quorum without minutes being taken is plain wrong, and it’s clear from Tuesday’s election results that voters don’t want it anymore. Further, the council since Aug. 1 has failed to meet a new state law requiring audio or video recording of council meetings with a quorum. Shame, shame.

Two more points to make: 1. On the example above, the public forum can be placed at the start or end. If you move it to the start, we suggest regular meetings start at 6:45 p.m. 2. If there is an emergency — such as you want to send equipment to help Mower County during flooding — then you can waive the rule on not voting on new items.

Thank you for reading this letter.

— Albert Lea Tribune

Editorial Board