Newly elected councilman Dewey Morgan raised the question to the council if the subcommittees had been operating under Robert's Rules, a procedure that must be followed by law for committee groups. The committees that operate under city council include Parks and Recreation, Personnel, Safety, Sewer, Street, Community Development and Finance.
"It is really about using common sense," said Mayor Ben Hickman. "It has been working fine for the last eleven years."
Council member Evelyn Farmer interrupted the two by stating that she was under the impression that they have been operating correctly under those rules. Morgan asked if it had been established as a mandate in which the council operates, suggesting that each time the committees meet that it be announced publicly within 24 hours of the meeting.
"Anyone can come and be heard before those committees just like anyone can come here and be heard before this council," said Morgan. "I certainly want that to be established early on."
Morgan also suggested that the city attorney attend the meetings but Mayor Hickman disagreed, saying that in a majority of cases it would be a waste of money to have him sit through meetings and not be needed.
"I think in certain times, he could be needed," said council member Ronnie Carter. "But we don't need him to come here and pay him fifty dollars an hour to sit here when there is nothing going on. If an issue comes up that he needs to be here, then we'll get him here."
Morgan is considering meeting with city attorney Robert Bowling to write an ordinance to make it official to function under Robert's Rules.
"If it gets on the agenda and passes, then we'll go to the lawyer from there," said Carter.
Safety director James Pursifull explained that anytime a council member wants to instate an ordinance, all they have to do is call the mayor and ask to put it on the agenda. From that point, it will be put in proper form and if the city attorney is needed, he will be contacted for legal issues.
"It's much more practical than having the attorney sit here in the meetings and be paid," said Pursifull. "I hope once these new council members see what is going on and get settled, we will all be able to work together. They've all got the experience."
In other business, the council voted for the to amend a section of an ordinance relating to the Middlesboro fire department for minimum requirements for service. The ordinance was put into effect over five years ago when it became apparent to city administration that two of the firefighters did not have their EMT certification and one had voluntarily dropped it.
Pursifull said that it wasn't fair to the other firefighters, especially those that had to run an ambulance. The suggested amendment was to take the 'longevity' line out of the ordinance.
"The original ordinance was not done to punish anyone, it was done to save jobs," he explained. "The council found it fit to remove the longevity part."
During committee reports, council member Pat Welch-Bowling asked the council if they would put in a letter of recommendation for the support of the grant that Middlesboro Middle School is applying for in hopes of building a new gym/community center. The entire council and mayor was in full support after MMS vice principal Steve Spangler made a short presentation before the council, saying that it would help greatly in getting the grant if city government was backing them.
The council also approved a 2004 tax refund to Mitchell and Dawn Riser in the amount of $21.95.
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