AURORA | A slim majority of Aurora City Council members on Monday granted the mayor, currently Mike Coffman, the power to stop what he determines to be “attacks of a personal nature” during group debate.
Coffman sponsored the proposal, which he said was meant to keep policy debates from devolving into “name-calling” and “personal attacks.”
“I just think that we have some of the lowest standards,” Coffman said. “It’s incredible. And let me tell you, the productivity by some of the members who are the most aggressive is not very good. And so I think it would make this council a lot more collegial.”
The decision came after Councilmember Juan Marcano clashed with Coffman and Councilmember Francoise Bergan over Marcano’s claim that supporters of a ban on unauthorized camping sponsored by Coffman had acted dishonestly.
When Marcano asked Coffman on Monday whether calling other council members “unproductive” was a personal attack, the mayor said he thought it would have been if he mentioned Marcano by name.
Marcano and other progressives said they were worried the rule would be used by Coffman and members of the conservative majority to silence criticism and prevent lawmakers from calling out misinformation.
“This does nothing to actually increase the collegiality of the body as a whole,” Alison Coombs said, pointing out that council members’ speech outside of meetings wasn’t regulated. “I applaud the idea that we should be more collegial, but I don’t think this accomplishes that goal.”
“How would you feel about this if the gavel were in somebody else’s hands?” Marcano asked the group.
Regardless, the council passed Coffman’s proposal 6-5, with the mayor breaking the tie in favor, and Councilmember Angela Lawson joining Coombs, Marcano, Ruben Medina and Crystal Murillo in opposition.
Lawson at one point said she was concerned about council members’ tone of voice or facial expressions being used to disqualify statements as personal attacks.
“It doesn’t speak to tone at all; it speaks to personal attacks,” Coffman said of the rule. “You can have a fairly aggressive debate without name-calling.”
The rule change specifies that the mayor’s role is to “stop and redirect the discussion as needed” when one council member engages in “attacks of a personal nature” against another during a council meeting.
When asked what the penalty could be for council members violating the rule, city spokesman Ryan Luby said in an email that “under the Council Rules of Order and Procedure, the only disciplinary action available to the Council is censure.”
Other rule changes approved by council on Monday included new limits on open public comment and a proposal by councilman Dustin Zvonek to give members the ability to require city staffers to get a member to sponsor a resolution or ordinance before it is discussed by the group.
When the mayor categorizes CM Coombs, and CM Marcano, as “dumb and dumber” does that qualify as “name-calling”?
Since CM Combs seemed curious about it herself, it looks as if a fair question in this latest council dustup.
Not if it’s reality, then it couldn’t be, “name calling”, could it?. Personally, I think they are the two weakest Council members. But that would make them dumber and dumbest. But then, where does Crystal fit in ?
If we’re talking about reality, then this new rule wouldn’t apply to Marcano calling Mike Coffman a liar.
Since the conservatives to power it really is all about POWER.
This must be a joke. Both the mayor and mayor pro tem can’t keep the disdain off their faces or in their tone of voices when calling on certain members of the council, as Council Member Lawson has stated. It’s disgusting and embarrassing that elected officials act in this manner. As for personal attacks, if they can’t even respect each other in public, I’m fearful of what happens behind closed doors.
An elected representative is expected to behave professionally and appropriately. The behavior we have seen from some of our elected officials lately leaves me aghast, which leads me to believe that they should not be reelected. There is a way to disagree respectfully, and Americans need to remember that and rediscover it. So many of us are out of control and there is simply no excuse for it.
They should be recalled.
unfortunately you can’t legislate civility.
Fascists have always hated being called fascists in public.
Coffman said. “It’s incredible. And let me tell you, the productivity by some of the members who are the most aggressive is not very good.
huh?? What’s he talking about.??