Council members should attempt more often to come prepared to the meeting with concise questions that they have alerted staff to answer concisely also, and with draft motions. While I appreciate that this council, unlike the last one, does debate issues, it takes far too long for a motion to appear. The mayor can assist with that by allowing each councilperson some time for questions, summarize what he hears are the main issues, and then asking for a motion or several motions to address the issues. Summarizing what he hears as main issues will require homework as well as listening to both the public and the council.

Meetings that go past 10:30 or 11 PM cut out the public from the process, and risks bad decisionmaking by tired councilmembers.