New city council reviews meeting procedures, officially goes paperless

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Mayor John Royalty talks with the council during Tuesday evening’s working session.

Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015, 10 p.m. — The new Bardstown City Council reviewed meeting protocol and procedure Tuesday evening at its working session.The new council’s meetings will each open with opportunities for the public to address the council — a move Mayor John Royalty explained was owed to the citizens of Bardstown. The mayor and council work for the city residents he explained, and citizens should have an opportunity to speak to the council.

The move was well-received, though some council members expressed concern that unlimited public comment might lead to lengthy, unproductive meetings. Royalty assured the council that he would impose time limits if necessary.

Royalty and the council, with guidance from City Clerk Barbie Bryant and City Attorney Bruce Reynolds, reviewed the revised council procedures for making motions. The changes are designed to allow the council to operating within the meeting guidelines it approved in 2013 as well as Roberts Rules of Order.

Councilmen Bobby Simpson, left, and Bill Buckman look at documents on Buckman’s iPad tablet computer.

Another change will require all ordinances and matters requiring a council vote to be formally introduced by a council member. For example, if council approval is needed to purchase a new utility truck, a council member must introduce the motion for its purchase. The change will require city hall staff to find a council member willing to introduce any needed motion. The goal is to conduct meetings following the council’s 2013 guidelines, Royalty said.

WHAS NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE.  There was no action taken during a closed session of the city council to discuss a possible appointment and other matters. In response to media questions, Royalty said the negotiations with WHAS TV in Louisville were continuing. A meeting of the city’s cable TV committee was scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday.

TECHNOLOGY CHANGE. The council spent part of the working session reviewing how to operate their new iPads. The tablets will allow the council members to review each meetings’ documents electronically, and eliminate the need to print them out or duplicate them. The documents will be housed on a secure file-sharing server and accessed electronically.

STAFF CHANGES. Royalty introduced the council to his new administrative assistant, Kathy Graham. She replaces Michelle Riordan who served in that role for former Mayor Bill Sheckles.

From left, councilmen Fred Hagan and Francis Lydian, and councilwoman Kecia Copeland, listen to discussion during Tuesday night’s working session.

Greg Ashworth has also been named the city’s new risk manager, replacing longtime city employee and former Bardstown fire chief Anthony Mattingly.

On Friday, Jan. 2, Mattingly posted that his employment with the City of Bardstown was terminated that morning by Royalty, noting that no reason was given.

Speaking to media after the working session, Royalty said the firings “were nothing personal, they were just administrative changes.”

And according to Royalty, he anticipates future changes. “Let me just say that more changes are expected, and they will happen.”

INTRODUCTIONS.  Prior to the working session, the council also heard a presentation on local economic development efforts by Kim Huston, CEO of the joint economic development agency and Frank Wilson, chairman of the Bardstown Industrial Development Corp. The council members also were introduced to the city’s department heads.

NEXT UP. The Bardstown City Council’s next meeting is 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015, at the council chambers on Xavier Drive.

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