For the second time in a week, Beachwood City Council voted 5-1 at a special meeting Nov. 14 to table a vote on an ordinance to authorize the mayor to engage a law firm “to investigate anonymous, defamatory and threatening emails and online postings directed to or concerning senior administrative staff.”
Voting for tabling the motion were president Alec Isaacson, Eric Synenberg, Barbara Bellin Janovitz, Joshua Mintz and Danielle Shoykhet. Mike Burkons voted to oppose tabling the motion. June Taylor was out of town due to a flight cancellation, Isaacson said.
Burkons suggested that council could have rejected the matter instead of voting to table it.
Burkons
“Nothing stops us from bringing it up again,” he said.
On Nov. 7, council voted to table the vote on the ordinance at its regular meeting. At a special council meeting Nov. 10, council voted to engage Minc Law in Orange on first reading and “declaring this to be an urgent measure,” meaning it would take immediate effect following two additional votes approving it in a second and third reading.
Another special council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 15 at which Isaacson said he hopes a vote can be taken.
Isaacson
Isaacson read a statement about the ordinance, which would authorize the spending of up to $25,000, before making his motion to table the vote. Synenberg seconded the motion.
Isaacson said some council members still needed more clarity before they can vote on whether to engage Minc Law.
“We are legislators and we’re in this situation because only city council can authorize the hiring of outside legal help,” Isaacson said. “Council should not be in this situation. The mayor is the chief administrator, not us. We need to resolve this problem. To do that, we need clarity. Only then can we vote and all know we’re doing the right thing.”
He said that over the next day or so, “we’re going to work to get the clarity we need and then vote and give everybody the closure they’re looking for.”
Burkons said that a charter change would be required to allow the mayor to make the decision to hire outside counsel.
Berns said, “It’s still the administration’s desire for council to move forward and retaining the Minc Law firm and hopefully get to the bottom of this issue.”
The Nov. 14 meeting lasted about 10 minutes.