Rules Disagreement Draws Out End of Council Meeting

By Adam Swift

The town council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, April 7. And for a good 50 minutes after the evening’s business was completed, it looked like the meeting might not end at all.

Near the end of the regular business on the agenda, Precinct 3 Councilor Joseph Romano called for a council vote asking for the town to join the MBTA 3A Communities Act exemption case that is currently in Suffolk Superior Court.

Council President Jim Letterie ruled that Romano could not make the motion, since it was not on the agenda for the meeting.

Romano said that under Robert’s Rules of Order, he did not need to submit the motion ahead of time to the council. In addition, he said that the discussion of 3A was on the agenda under old business.

When Letterie failed to allow the motion to move forward, Romano said he wanted to appeal the decision.

“I have the right to do that under Robert’s Rules, I can appeal that something is not out of order,” Romano said.

Precinct 1 Councilor Pat Costigan seconded Romano’s motion, but Letterie ruled that it was still out of order.

When it came time for Letterie to make a motion to adjourn the meeting, Romano asked for a roll call vote on adjournment.

Costigan, Romano, Paul Reardon, Martin Finn, and Vice President Suzanne Swope voted not to adjourn the meeting.

For the next 45 minutes or so, councilors sat at the council table, occasionally trying to break the stalemate by reading from Robert’s Rules or the city council rules.

Councilor-at-Large Max Tassinari noted that Robert’s Rules are superceded by the council rules.

Also during the non-adjournment end of the meeting, the police were called in to remove resident and regular council meeting attendee and speaker Jack Dowd was removed by police after he referred to Letterie as an “aytollah” twice.

Town Manager Tony Marino read from the council rules stating that any matter of business to take place before the council must be submitted to the council clerk and the president by the Thursday before a regular meeting.

“No business shall be considered by the town council unless there was a unanimous vote of the council to waive this rule,” Marino continued. “I will point out that the council rules and procedures supersede (Robert’s Rules).”

Romano once again argued that since 3A was on the agenda, his motion was legal.

“You need to have a unanimous vote of the council to have your motion passed, you are correct to make the motion, you need a unanimous vote of the council,” said Marino.

The town manager also said that while 3A was on the agenda for discussion, there was no motion regarding 3A on the agenda, so that it could not be up for a motion or amendment, unless there was a unanimous vote to waive council rules.

Eventually, the meeting was adjourned when it was determined that the council president could end the meeting if it was determined that all business was completed. Precinct 2 Councilor Kim Dimes reintroduced Romano’s motion on 3A, but the motion failed because there was not a unanimous vote to waive the rules to allow it, and Letterie adjourned the meeting.