City Council

Minutes from the Petersburg City Council Organizational meeting held on: January 3, 2019 -1- ____________________________________________________________ _______________________________ The Organizational meeting of the Petersburg City Council was held on Thursday, January 3, 2019, at the Union Train Station. Mayor Parham called the meeting to order at 5:33p.m 1. CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Samuel Parham called the meeting to order. 2. OATH OF OFFICE: Council Members Wilson-Smith, Parham, Myers and Hart all took oath of office. 3. ROLL CALL: Present: Council Member Charles H. Cuthbert, Jr Council Member Annette Smith-Lee Council Member Treska Wilson-Smith Council Member W. Howard Myers Council Member Darrin Hill Council Member John A. Hart, Sr. Council Member Samuel Parham Absent: None Present from City Administration: City Manager Aretha R. Ferrell-Benavides Assistant City Attorney Rashaad Bey Clerk of Council Nykesha D. Jackson, CMC 4. BUSINESS OR REPORTS FOR/FROM THE MAYOR AND OTHER MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL: a. Election of Mayor and Vice Mayor Council Members Ms. Jackson opened the floor for nominations from City Council Members. Council Member Hill nominated that it stays the same with Mayor Samuel Parham and Vice Mayor John Hart. On roll call vote, voting yes: Cuthbert, Smith-Lee, Wilson-Smith, Hill, Myers, Hart and Parham 19-R-03 A RESOLUTION APPOINTING SAMUEL PARHAM AS MAYOR AND JOHN HART AS VICE MAYOR FOR THE CITY OF PETERSBURG. b. Review and Adoption of City Council's Rules of Council and Procedure There was discussion in regard to having regular City Council Meeting per month instead of two meetings and having one meeting on a report during that month. There was discussion among City Council Members and staff on the adding at the end of Section 1 under meeting that in an event there is a holiday on the meeting day that it be moved to the following Tuesday. Council Member Wilson-Smith made a motion to insert under Section 1 of meetings after the last sentence to insert any other holiday and that this meeting shall be held instead on the next Tuesday night following that holiday. The motion was seconded by Council Member Cuthbert. The motion was Minutes from the Petersburg City Council Organizational meeting held on: January 3, 2019 -2- ____________________________________________________________ _______________________________ approved on roll call. On roll call vote, voting yes: Cuthbert, Smith-Lee, Wilson-Smith, Hill, Myers, Hart and Parham There was discussion among City Council on Section 2 of Special Meetings regarding the word “consultation” with the Mayor. Council Member Cuthbert made a motion that to eliminate any ambiguity as to what the word “consultation with” means that they amend the Rules of Council to substitute “after advising” for the words “after consultation with.” The motion was seconded by Council Member Wilson-Smith. There was discussion among City Council on the motion. Council Member Hill made a substitute motion that Section 2 remains the same. The motion was seconded by Council Member Myers. There was discussion on the motion. The motion was approved on roll call. On roll call vote, voting yes: Smith-Lee, Hill, Myers, Hart and Parham; Voting No: Cuthbert and Wilson-Smith There was discussion among City Council Members regarding Section 4 and the word “majority” and whether or not there should be a number to reference the word. There was discussion on Section 8 and adding wording on when the City Council Advance will be held. Council Member Cuthbert made a motion that City Council amend Section 8 to add a sentence that City Council Retreat/Advance be held the last full week in July. The motion was seconded by Council Member Wilson-Smith. There was discussion on the motion. The motion was not approved on roll call. On roll call vote, voting yes: Cuthbert, Smith-Lee and Wilson-Smith; Voting No: Myers, Hill, Hart and Parham There was discussion among City Council Members on adding more details for Section 3 on page four pertaining to the readings of ordinance and resolutions. There was discussion among City Council Members on the timing of the retrieval of the sign-up for the public information period. Council Member Wilson-Smith made a motion to change the time of the retrieval in the Rules of Council of the sign-up sheet for the Public Information Period to two minutes on page 7 of the last paragraph. The motion was seconded by Vice Mayor Hart. The motion was approved on roll call. On roll call vote, voting yes: Cuthbert, Smith-Lee, Wilson-Smith, Myers, Hill, Hart and Parham There was discussion among City Council Members regarding page 14 of the Rules of Council and removing the last sentence of Section 2, item A. Council Member Wilson-Smith made a motion to erase the entire last sentence of Section 2, item A on page 14 of the Rules of Council. The motion was seconded by Vice Mayor Hart. The motion was approved on roll call. On roll call vote, voting yes: Cuthbert, Smith-Lee, Wilson-Smith, Myers, Hill, Hart and Parham Ms. Jackson stated that she would like to make a suggestion of adding under her section in the Rules of Council with regards of using City emails for City business instead of Council Members using their personal email accounts due to virus and spam in the past. Council Member Myers made a motion to make an amendment to the Rules of Council that each council member is requested to utilize their City email with respect to every transaction that they make to Minutes from the Petersburg City Council Organizational meeting held on: January 3, 2019 -3- ____________________________________________________________ _______________________________ the Clerk of Council, Council Members and staff. The motion was seconded by Council Member Hill. There was discussion on the motion. Council Member Myers made a motion table action until the next City Council meeting until the City Attorney provides City Council with an opinion regarding this information. The motion was seconded by Council Member Cuthbert. There was discussion on the motion. The motion was approved on roll call. On roll call vote, voting yes: Cuthbert, Smith-Lee, Wilson-Smith, Myers, Hill, Hart and Parham Council Member Myers made a motion to adopt the contract with its amendments in the hiring of the City Attorney. The motion was seconded by Council Member Hill. The motion was approved on roll call. On roll call vote, voting yes: Cuthbert, Smith-Lee, Wilson-Smith, Myers, Hill, Hart and Parham Mayor Parham stated that he would like to thank everyone for their vote of confidence and that it is a pleasure to serve the City of Petersburg. He stated that he wants to thank God for the opportunity. He stated that he is only here because of his wife and daughter who are present at the meeting. Council Member Wilson-Smith made a motion to approve the Rules of Council with the approved amendments. The motion was seconded by Vice Mayor Hart. The motion was approved on roll call. On roll call vote, voting yes: Cuthbert, Smith-Lee, Wilson-Smith, Myers, Hill, Hart and Parham 19-R-04 A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE RULES OF COUNCIL WITH APPROVED CHANGES. 4. ADJOURNMENT: City Council adjourned at 6:23 p.m. ___________________________ Clerk of City Council APPROVED: _________________________ Mayor