Bee Editorial
Efficiency resolution needs additions
After an hour, the Amherst Town Board on Monday had a resolution calling for

efficiency and order in its bimonthly meetings. Yes, after an hour.

But after all the back and forth, oftentimes nonsensical, the board members still left out some sections we think would serve them well. These are The Amherst Bee's additions to the existing 13-section resolution:

14) Once a council member has already made a point, another council member cannot repeat it in his or her own words. Having more than one person say the same thing is inefficient.

15) Praising oneself for recommending a resolution two weeks, a few months or years before is not good business. Discuss the matter at hand without offering the history of your service on the board.

16) An item that ends in a 7-0 vote never justifies a conversation that lasts more than three minutes. A 20-minute conversation when all that is needed is a motion, a second and a vote, is definitely not effective.

17) In addition to time limits for residents, can't the same be extended to council members? Who knows what residents need more than a resident? A little less talk and a lot more action is greatly needed.

18) A four-and-a-half-hour limit on a meeting is an accomplishment, but let's try and do even better - possibly three hours.

19) All members of the board should become familiar with how a board meeting runs: for example, a consent agenda is taken in one vote; when a board member moves to table, all discussion ceases, unless there is no second; when taking a vote, pay attention to what has happened - motion, second, questions, vote. There is no need for the same item to be seconded more than once.

20) Board members must raise their hands so that not only can the town clerk record the vote for official records, but residents will also know how the matter was decided. If this won't work, then take a roll call vote for each item (which unfortunately will add more time).

22) Town Board members are not allowed to say "I" more times than "aye." They are not elected to serve themselves.

21) The media, residents and town employees spend hours listening to Town Board members talk; the least the members can do is sit in their seats for five minutes after the meeting is adjourned to make sure there are no questions that need to be answered about the antics that just took place.

Having listened to Town Board dialogue, we ask the board to consider our ideas.