NRH Council Votes 7-0 to Allow City Employees to Remove Political Signs That Threaten Safety!

by Ron West

 Tuesday, January 25^th, 2005

            The existing bad sign ordinance that is being used to bash business in NRH was further modified last night when - with a 7 - 0 vote, the council added more restraints on the placement of political signs in the city.  Despite efforts to try to delay consideration, in order to actually see the ordinance changes that were being considered, the vote was for the changes without any City Council Member even seeing the final language of the new law that they approved.   A report on the council meeting has been sent to LNO.

        This truly seems like a bad way to pass laws but apparently it is common place.  Our city council is not required to pre-publish most new ordinances (with rare exceptions) and they are not required to have public hearings on new ordinances.  The council is not required to read the ordinances before passage and they do not even have to see the final language if they suggest changes to what is already drafted.

        If the new ordinance modifies an old ordinance, the city does not have to update the old one to make a comprehensive readable ordinance, they only have to reference it.  This makes it almost impossible for any citizen to actually see what ordinances are actually in force in our city.

        The library is the primary repository of our "ordinances" but they do not have an up to date copy of all ordinances.

        New laws, new restrictions, vague or undetermined language and votes of 7-0.  Hard to understand and hard to accept!