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Politics

Mayor's time limit irks commissioners

Members question the legality of Ward Friszolowski's declaration that the often laborious meetings will end promptly at 10 p.m.

By NICK JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Published December 2, 2007

ST. PETE BEACH - One of the city's notoriously long commission meetings ended abruptly Tuesday when Mayor Ward Friszolowski declared meetingswill end at 10 p.m. instead of 1 or 2 a.m. When Commissioner Linda Chaney objected, he made it clear it was not open to debate.

"Let me just remind everyone that I set the agenda here and I'm going to stop it at 10 o'clock," he said. "People are saying, 'I want to watch the meetings. I want to participate in the meetings but I can't stay up until 1 or 2 in the morning.' Someone's got to make a decision, and that authority is vested in the mayor."

Most commissioners believe they should determine a stopping point as a group. Chaney, Harry Metz and Ed Ruttencutter questionedthe city staff, citing a portion of the city charter that says the commission determines its rules of procedure.

"I think it's a good idea as long as it's done legally," Metz said. "What the mayor did was in violation of the city charter."

With the time limit, unfinished business would be pushed to the next meeting, which has some concerned because the commission has had trouble wading through packed agendas. Metz suggested Vice Mayor Mike Finnerty take over a meeting if the mayor tries to end it without the commission's consent.

Finnerty, though, said the commission must focus on the issues at hand but added he would have gone about things differently.

"I think we're going from one extreme to the other extreme," Finnerty said. "I think there's a better way to do it than what he did."

Finnerty suggested the time limit remain 10 p.m. with the possibility of three or four monthly meetings instead of two, which might address concerns expressed by Ruttencutter.

"He basically decided to eliminate all discussion by the commission or the residents," Ruttencutter said, noting the city manager's report, commission comment period and public comments were cut Tuesday.

Ruttencutter e-mailed the city attorney to see if federal or state rules covered what he called "heavy-handed, dictatorial conduct." He said he expects a response this week.

Nick Johnson can be reached at nick johnson@sptimes.com or 893-8361.

[Last modified December 1, 2007, 22:01:14]