I once wrote in this column, several months ago, that the consent calendar of the City Council agenda is where all the sleepy items go to be passed. 

 

The consent calendar is also where true gadflies go to prove their metal. 

 

Mayor Bob Foster is now recommending changing the rules, and making it harder for the real gadflies to take up valuable council time on inconsequential items.

 

The recommendation is to change the rules so that only the Mayor, City Councilmembers, and the City Manager can remove items from the Consent Calendar.  Members of the public will still be able to speak on any item or items on the consent calendar, but only for three minutes maximum. 

 

“What’s the big deal with that?” you may ask, “isn’t the public already given the chance to speak for up to 3 minutes?”

 

What the rule change will do is make it impossible for true gadflies to pull as many consent calendar items they want—from meeting minutes to other innocuous items—and speak for up to three minutes on each.  Now they will be limited to 3 minutes on all consent calendar items. 

 

On a related note, the Godfather of Gadflies, Thomas Murphy passed away on Saturday.  A friend told me that Mr. Murphy once pulled as many as 20 items off the consent calendar and spoke to each of them his full time of three minutes each.  Ironically, his public viewing will be held the same night this rule change will be discussed and voted on. 

 

I wonder what Mr. Murphy would have thought of the rule change?

 

Save the Jergins Tunnel…Duh.

 

Councilmember Suja Lowenthal has an item that requests the City Manager to present a report on the uses of and ways to save the Jergins Tunnel, the tunnel recently opened to the public (for one day only at University by the Sea) after decades closed from public view.

 

If the City Council doesn’t want to become some 1980’s movie caricature of a board of heartless souls, in bed with the man (ie., also heartless developers), they would be wise to save the Jergins Tunnel.  Which I suspect they will.

 

The City Council meeting begins Tuesday, 5:00 p.m. at City Hall.