Who’s out of order?

Baker City Resolution 3407 states in admirably blunt language how city councilors are supposed to behave during their meetings.

Based on what transpired during the Council’s Sept. 9 meeting, it seems to us that some councilors ought to re-read that resolution.

Section 5(a) of the resolution includes this sentence: “All members of the Council shall accord the utmost courtesy to each other, to city employees, and to public members appearing before the Council and shall refrain at all times from rude and derogatory remarks, reflections as to integrity, abusive comments, and statements as to motives and personalities.”

Section 7 of the resolution reads “A member shall confine discussion to the question under debate, avoid personalities, and refrain from impugning the motives of any other member’s argument or vote.”

Compare those sentences with what Councilor Terry Schumacher said near the end of the Sept. 9 meeting.

Schumacher certainly is entitled to express his opinion on those topics, and we don’t think that criticizing two of his colleagues as he did in the above statements qualifies as “rude and derogatory.”

But Schumacher went on to say this: “When you go to the polls, remember this.”

That statement was not appropriate, and it blatantly violates Resolution 3407.

Duman is running for re-election in November, as is Schumacher (Calder’s term expires at the end of 2010).

By recommending residents not vote for Duman, who is one of his opponents — and Schumacher’s “remember this” comment can not reasonably be construed any other way — hardly complies with Resolution 3407’s requirement that councilors “accord the utmost courtesy to each other” and “refrain at all times from rude and derogatory comments.”

Earlier in the meeting, Calder, after Mayor Jeff Petry ruled her out of order, said: “You are not the boss of me.”

That statement also goes beyond the bounds set in Resolution 3407.

The significant difference between Calder’s and Schumacher’s comments, though, is that Petry, even before Calder made the “boss” comment, both rapped his gavel and asked her to “please be quiet.”

Petry has not only the authority to do that, but the obligation, should he decide that any councilor is speaking out of order.

For instance, Resolution 3407 states: The presiding officer (mayor) shall preserve decorum and decide all questions of order.”

The city charter reads: “The mayor shall have authority to preserve order. . . enforce the rules of the council.”

Unfortunately, Petry exerted his authority selectively during the Sept. 9 meeting.

The mayor did not interrupt Schumacher’s comments about Duman and Calder.

Petry should have used his gavel on both occasions.