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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I’m pretty sure the <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> congress
conducts itself without a quorum frequently. Turn on the TV and watch the lone
congressman reading something or other into the record. Often what counts as a
first or second reading of a bill is done that way.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I think it depends on what the “business”
is at hand. Council committees –even the committee of the whole—cannot
make decisions. So to allow testimony into the record (which absent members get
the benfit of by reading) and moving forward mundane business to be finalized
later is not particularly problematic. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Decisions such as tabling a bill or
amending one would be inappropriate. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
missoulagov-bounces@cmslists.com [mailto:missoulagov-bounces@cmslists.com] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Jed Taylor<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Sunday, February 15, 2009
3:20 AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> missoulagov@cmslists.com<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [MissoulaGov] On having a
quorum</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Verdana><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:navy'>Here's <a
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quorum">Wikipedia</a> on the subject.
I see Mason's is $60, so I guess further exploration requires a trip to
library, but I trust each Council member gets a copy along with the laptop.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Verdana><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:navy'>In general, though, I want to express my
support of Ross Best's position that a committee should have a quorum to
conduct business. He's quite correct that it's nonsensical to say that
it's ok to conduct business when the number required to conduct business isn't
present.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Verdana><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:navy'>I understand that it's not always
possible for every committee member to attend every meeting; nonetheless, if
enough members aren't in attendance, it's simply improper for a governmental
body to conduct business. That's why a quorum is less than the total
number of members, and typically only half.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Verdana><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:navy'>I understand that no one's getting rich
serving on the Council, and that such service requires grappling with a wide
range of technical and arcane issues. Between meetings, research, and reading
stuff like this email, I'd imagine it's at least a 1/2 time job. I have
no doubt that none of the Council members are getting paid what their work is
worth; it may be impossible to really do so. Even so, anyone who decides
to run should understand and accept the responsibility to make scheduled
meetings and the effect failing to do so has on both fellow members and the
citizens they serve.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Verdana><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:navy'>I suspect that this issue, as a
practical matter, appears very infrequently, and that's a good thing.
And, yes, it would be quite inconvenient to those who appear at a
scheduled meeting to find it's not going to be held. But what's
convenient shouldn't trump what's right, and the right thing to do (and
perhaps even the legal thing) is either have a quorum or adjourn. I hope
the Council will decide to stop trying to write a rule that excuses a lack of a
quorum and simply accept the requirement to have one to conduct its business,
as well as the consequences that naturally follow.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Verdana><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#990000" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#990000'>“Be the change
you want to see in the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi</span></font><font
size=2 color=navy face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;
color:navy'> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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