In a community that, according to the 2010 census only has a 3.8 percent population of black residents, I shouldn’t be surprised a resolution that causes discomfort and admitting racism exists wasn’t passed unanimously.
Two councilmen voted against a Resolution that concluded:
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved by The Borough of West Easton Council:
Black lives matter.
That the Borough reaffirms its anti-discrimination policies and ordinances and commits to working with the community to take all action necessary to create additional anti-racist policies and ordinances that address racism.
One dissenting councilman stated his “No” vote was because the Resolution wasn’t created through a committee, or reviewed by the solicitor.
The councilman should have known there is no requirement for a resolution to be developed by a committee. A councilperson may enjoin a committee to present a resolution, because if done through a committee it almost ensures 3 “yes” votes when it is presented to the full council, but any councilperson can present a resolution, seeking a second for a vote.
A resolution also doesn’t have to be reviewed by a solicitor, as should an ordinance. In this particular case, the solicitor did review the resolution during the discussion phase before the pending vote and he found nothing wrong with it when asked, though he offered an alternative to wording when an objection was made where it specified the number of Minneapolis police officers that were involved in the killing of George Floyd.
The wording, “…by four members of the Minneapolis Police Department…” was changed to, “… by one or more members of the Minneapolis Police Department…”
The final Resolution can be read HERE.
An old ordinance from the 1920s that allowed only a white male to be Chief of Police is something those of us today view as the council, back then, being a group of racists.
When a council, at some year in the future, stumbles across an old Resolution passed last night by a 3-2 vote, they will wonder how it couldn’t have been unanimous.
And what will that future generation think of those who voted against it?
Disclaimer: On January 4, 2016, the owner of WestEastonPA.com began serving on the West Easton Council following an election. Postings and all content found on this website are the opinions of Matthew A. Dees and may not necessarily represent the opinion of the governing body for The Borough of West Easton.
