Lack of quorum on budget amendment prompts second vote, second passage | BUCKLEY CITY COUNCIL, DEC. 27

A procedural error in a prior Buckley city council meeting prompted a revote—and an unanimous re-passing—of an amendment to the 2010 budget. The revote took place at a Dec. 27 emergency meeting of the city council.

By sheer coincidence and for various reasons, Jan Twardoski, Melissa Patson and Mark McNally all called in absent to the Dec. 17 meeting, leaving remaining councilmembers Randy Reed, Cristi Boyle-Barrett, James Montgomery and Doug Harple to vote on the long list of agenda items.

Among those items was an ordinance amendment to the 2010 budget to account for changes in the fire station construction, fire reserve equipment, tourism, and sewer capital funds. By state law, municipalities must ensure their official budget matches actual revenues and expenditures before the end of the pertinent budget year.

"As it turned out we didn't have a majority," Mayor Pat Johnson. "Ordinances need a majority vote by the entire council to pass. We had a (three to one) majority of the people there, but not a majority of the entire council."

In other special meeting news, the council unanimously passed a 30 day employment contract extension for City Administrator Dave Schmidt. During the review process for department head salaries, the city administrator contract was overlooked due to it being under a different salary grid from other department heads, Johnson said.

The 30 day extension was granted in order to allow the council to review the contract before renewal.

Contact Enumclaw Courier Herald Reporter Daniel Nash at dnash@courierherald.com or 360-802-8010.

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