Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Thursday, May 08, 2008
La Crosse council to hold yearly retreats
La Crosse Common Council members tonight agreed to hold annual education and goal-setting retreats.
While the school board and county each host annual retreats, it’s been three years since the city last had one.
They also approved up to $1,000 to pay for lunch, venue and costs of retaining a mediator.
Council member Jim Bloedorn for a second time tried to eliminate the mediator and associated costs from the event.
The District 7 alderman wasn’t allowed Tuesday to introduce the amendment at the Committee of the Whole meeting, after Finance and Personnel Committee chairwoman Audrey Kader ruled it was out of order.
“The intention of the legislation was to have a retreat with a facilitator,” she said tonight, recapping her earlier ruling. “To take the facilitator out of it was changing the purpose of the resolution.”
While Bloedorn’s amendment got its chance at consideration tonight, it failed 11-4.
“It’s always good to have somebody from the outside to lead such a discussion,” Kader said.
Council member Dorothy Lenard, who proposed the summer sessions, said she wanted to carve out a time for the council to meet without specific agendas and legislation to consider.
“I think it’s important and beneficial for us once a year to get together, set goals and educate ourselves on current issues and what's changing,” she said after tonight’s meeting.
The retreat also would help get new council members on board, she said.
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