Assembly Rules Redoux

During the Mayor's Report for the January 24 meeting, I explained the rules of conduct that govern the Assembly and how I hoped to rise appropriately to any occasions that may require me to help both the Assembly and the community comply:

I would like to address my role in the conduct of the January 10 meeting of the Assembly. The Assembly has adopted a limited set of rules governing conduct by the Assembly.

These rules are set out in HBC Title 2, section 2.10.060:

Section (A) states that members are required to “respectfully address the presiding officer” before speaking and not actually speak until recognized by the presiding officer and given the floor.

Section (B) states that each assembly member while speaking “shall speak only to the subject under debate, shall refrain from personalities, and shall not refer to any other member of the assembly except in a respectful manner.”

Section (C) prohibits members from interrupting one another.

And finally Section D – which applies specifically to me as presiding officer – allows the mayor to “call the member to order” if the member’s speaking violates assembly rules. If this is done, the assembly member is required to “immediately cease discussion unless permitted by the presiding officer to explain.”

I accept responsibility for failing to quickly call to order an Assembly member who violated the rules and thus I exposed both the member and the public to prolonged discomfort. I would like to remind Members that when speaking, you are not actually speaking to the public or to one another, you are speaking “through the chair.” Therefore it is only fair that you know what the chair regards as disrespectful and inappropriate reference to personalities. I will call to order any speaker who uses vulgar language or who uses euphemisms for vulgarity; and any speaker who attacks the reputation of another assembly member or community member. We are here to work on solutions to problems; personal attacks do not contribute to solutions. We are neighbors.

Much of the time, the Assembly works as a problem solving team. We have one more rule that underscores this. Haines Borough Code section 2.10.050 (C) allows not just the presiding officer but any member of the body to call to order any member who transgresses the rules.

But should I overstep, an Assembly member may appeal my decision. An appeal of the chair’s decision is not debatable and does require a vote. Sometimes in the heat of an uncomfortable interaction, we forget the procedures.