Council considers rules for order

Mayor Bob Patten said the Borough Council could institute Robert’s Rules of Order.

By: Scott Morgan
   HIGHTSTOWN — The Borough Council is considering ways to enact bylaws to govern its meetings.
   Less than a week into his administration, Mayor Bob Patten introduced on Jan. 6 his wish to implement rules of order and conduct for Borough Council meetings. Mayor Patten said in a later interview that the rules are a good way to keep public meetings from getting out of hand.
   "We’ve been lacking," Mayor Patten said. "I think we got too liberal in how meetings are conducted."
   Citing a practice common at Borough Council meetings, the tendency for members of the public to speak out of turn and (sometimes) argue or make inappropriate comments, the mayor said implementing recognized rules of conduct (such as the popular Robert’s Rules of Order) is the best way to bring a sense of fairness and professionalism to borough business.
   "It’s a way of establishing respect," Mayor Patten said.
   Councilman Eugene Sarafin immediately supported the mayor’s opinions Jan. 6, saying that rules of conduct are indeed a good idea. Mr. Sarafin expressly endorsed Robert’s Rules because, he said, "it makes things so easy."
   Whether Robert’s Rules will be the officially adopted system of bylaws for council meetings is yet to be decided. Mayor Patten said the issue likely will be decided in February. For now, the mayor said, Borough Clerk Candace Gallagher and Borough Attorney Fred Raffetto are organizing different sets of conduct rules from several municipalities around the state.
   Whatever system is finally adopted, Mayor Patten said he does not want to see the rules become too restrictive.
   "Just basic rules of order," he said.