Ives Seeks Delay of Rules Proposal

Santa Fe City Councilor Peter Ives said Friday he plans to seek postponement of a resolution that would change parts of the City Council’s procedural rules.

Several local organizations and individuals have expressed concern about the measure over the last day or two.

The resolution would, among other things, forbid city councilors from discussing what goes on in executive sessions unless the entire council has approved disclosure, require councilors who want to move an item from the City Council’s consent agenda to the regular agenda to make the request two days prior to a council meeting and limit the time councilors can speak.

Ives has said the changes are aimed at ensuring civility and making sure councilors “are engaged in informed decision making.”

It’s too late to remove the resolution from the council’s July 25 agenda, so Ives said he’ll ask the council to vote to postpone it to a later date. Ives said he wants to arrange for a public hearing on the measure.

Councilor Rebecca Wurzburger, Ives’ co-sponsor, has agreed to the plan, Ives said.