Cape City Council may alter meeting format

Cape Girardeau's televised city council meetings too often look staged, involve little discussion and don't let city residents see government at work, Mayor Jay Knudtson says.

Knudtson said he wants the council to consider eliminating the study sessions that currently precede council meetings. The council is scheduled to discuss the matter when it meets tonight.

The study sessions at city hall aren't televised, so viewers don't see the discussions that lead up to council votes, the mayor said.

"It is clear to me that the perception is that many items are basically rubber-stamped by the council and people are not seeing their government at work," he said.

Eliminating the study sessions, Knudtson said, would foster more discussion and questioning of city staff at the regular meetings and give those residents who watch the proceedings on local cable access Channel 5 a better understanding of city issues.

Along with that understanding may come more public trust in the Cape Girardeau city government, Knudtson said. Several voters in a meeting with the council and city staff last week cited distrust of city government as one of the reasons behind the defeat of four tax and fee issues last month.

Councilwoman Evelyn Boardman said she has been unhappy with the current format since being elected to the council last year and also favors changing the format.

Boardman said she and other council members often get their questions answered by city staff at the study sessions and are reluctant to repeat themselves at the regular meetings.

The result is that council members often look like they are just going through the motions, Boardman and Knudtson said.

'They need to see that'

Council members said they don't know how many of the city's residents tune in to the cable channel to watch the council meetings but those who do watch would be better served by discussion and debate.

"They really do want to see us asking questions and interacting rather than seconding motions," she said. "They need to see that we are trying to work out issues."

The council's regular meetings on the first and third Monday of each month are televised live at 7 p.m. and rebroadcast the following Tuesday at 8 p.m.

Cape Girardeau resident W.R. Withers regularly watches the rebroadcast of council meetings. City decisions often seem to have been made before the council members convene for the televised sessions.

"Sometimes it does seem like it is cut and dry," Withers said.

Eliminating the study session "probably wouldn't hurt," he said, "but the timing has to be correct."

If the meeting were moved up from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m., for example, it would conflict with the television news on other channels and result in few viewers, Withers said.

Council members said the suggested format change would result in longer council meetings.

Councilman Hugh White is surprised that anyone would want to watch the televised council meetings. He said most residents aren't as interested in the details of local government as are those in public office.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123