Robert's Rules Unnecessary in Cambridge

Tom Stolhman, asked "I’d like to know if [city councilors] understand Robert’s Rules of Order," (Letter: "Let’s break some rules in 2014," Cambridge Chronicle, Jan 5, 2014) On November 19, 2007, Councilor, now Clerk Magistrate, Michael Sullivan sponsored an order directing the Council to learn Robert's Rules of Order. For two years previous I wrote and spoke about the fact that Councilors did not know Robert's Rules or their own council rules. They know how to suspend the rules which is all they need. I asked why they wanted to learn the rules. Voters would expect them to learn other laws e.g., the Open Meetings Law, the Public Records Act, the Constitution. I warned the council that learning Robert's Rules was the slippery slope. It was a burden for councilors to obey laws then. Seven years later the rule of law evolved to a higher level. Inconvenient laws in Cambridge are optional The White House operates at this new higher level choosing which laws and which parts of laws to follow, and which ones to change or to ignore. Today it is unreasonable to expect the council to obey rules and laws. Mr. Stolhman may want to look to the Democratic leadership in DC. They don't even read bills before they vote on them. Rules? What Rules? I don't need to learn no stinkin' rules.
See video at http://youtu.be/64mxZDz3VT8

http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/x1597053800/Letter-Let-s-break-some-rules-in-2014

Letter: Let’s break some rules in 2014
Cambridge Chronicle
Posted Jan 05, 2014 @ 02:43 PM
Tom Stolhman