Consent Agenda

At that start of a new council, I think it would be a good idea for each councilor to make it a habit to scrutinize the Consent Agenda.  (The Consent Agenda is usually a miscellaneous collection of items that are routine, non-controversial, and unlikely to generate questions from council members.  I'm not sure who selects the items in this section of the agenda; I suspect that whoever proposes the item has the option  of putting it there.)  At most meetings, all items on the consent agenda are approved without discussion.

Any council member may except an item from the Consent Agenda and ask that it be considered separately.  The main reason for doing this in the past has been to highlight an item that is especially beneficial to the city or that a council member had a hand in bringing to the agenda.  Off the top of my head, I don't recall any case where a Consent Agenda item was excepted because there was a question whether it should pass.

This system hasn't been badly abused in the past, but it is subject to abuse.  After 20 meetings in which only minor items appear in the Consent Agenda, any councilor might be excused for missing an item that really needs discussion.  Council members and people who are interested in city business need to look carefully at the Consent Agenda items, and carefully read the backing information for each one, for every meeting.

For example, I think CA-4, CA-8, CA-9, CA10 and CA-15 on next Tuesday's agenda deserve study.  I have no doubt that they have merit and should be passed, but I can't tell from the descriptions; and I doubt that new city council members can, either.  I intend to do my homework on them, and I hope council members, as a matter of good practice, will do so too.