Cheney Council quickly wraps up 2013 business

With a bit more practice, the Cheney City Council could possibly one day break the one-minute mark with its final meeting of the year.

Council took all of 1 minute, 14 seconds last Thursday to conclude business for 2013. The meeting was a continuation of the Dec. 10 meeting, and was called with only one agenda item in mind – paying bills.

Council unanimously approved paying claims and vouchers totaling $609,450.56 last Thursday. In the last meeting of 2012 they took 1:44 to pay $538,271.35.

The continuation of the Dec. 10 meeting was a legal procedure. According to state law, no council action such as paying bills, can take place at a public meeting unless that meeting date has been fixed by ordinance, resolution or rule or if adequate public notification of a change is provided.

Because the Dec. 19 meeting did not meet these requirements, adjourning the Dec. 10 meeting and moving the regular second council meeting, scheduled for Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, could be deemed a special meeting. Instead, the Dec. 10 meeting was concluded, not adjourned, and reconvened Dec. 19.

John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].