The Wayland City Council planned to go into closed session Monday night, but Councilman Rick Mathis forced tabling the matter as a point of law.
Mathis moved to delete the item “Potential Sale of City Property” because it must be discussed in open session accordi
ng to the Open Meetings Act.
Conventional wisdom has permitted discussion of purchase of property by the city, but Mathis asserted when the city is selling property it owns to anyone, it must have the discussion in open session.
His objection in approving the agenda caused Mayor Tim Bala to leave the meeting room to seek legal advice. After Bala returned, City Manager Tim McLean said to Mathis, “Let me confer with the third party.
The council then agreed to have the item deleted and taken up at a future meeting.
• Finally approved the assessment rolls for residents on the north side of East Maple Street for sidewalks in the next street project this summer. The total cost will be about $6,500, but residents along the street going east toward Steeby Elementary will pay 50% of the costs of the concrete.
City Finance Director Cherie Parrish provided council members with figures they sought two weeks ago before giving final approval.
Council members agreed to have a discussion later this year about whether special assessments should be levied at all in street projects.
• Welcomed new city police officer Kyle Hart, who was introduced.
• Heard City Manager Tim McLean praise the efforts “beyond the call of duty” of officer Jon Schaefer, who directed traffic that was re-routed Friday because of the spate of crashes on slippery U.S.-131.
PHOTO: New police officer Kyle Hart
