A mild furor has come about as part of the current competition for the Democratic nomination for City Council in the upcoming election. Several candidates have jumped in pledging, if elected, to not be a party to frivolous proclamations and resolutions on subjects over which the council has no jurisdiction or control. The implication is that Council is frequently the vessel for feel-good notions that detract from hard-headed attention to local issues.

To permit the point to be drawn more sharply, we surveyed the public record of Council Resolutions kept in the office of the Clerk of the Council, Jeanne Cox. We checked from last year back through 1990. In those 12 years we found that resolutions that might be characterized as frivolous are lacking.

Of the 580 or so resolutions in that period, there are however, a few that seem clearly to be about things over which the Council has no power. There is a resolution endorsing the Death Penalty Moratorium, but it is not unknown for localities to have a legislative agenda, making recommendations to state legislators representing the area.

Another resolution, following closely on the events of September 11, "condemns the cowardly and deadly actions of these terrorists." It also "supports the president " and "commends the citizens of our region for the prompt outpouring of response." Perhaps not something over which council has control, but surely not an objectionable statement.

In 1996 the Council endorsed the oddly-named "National Night Out Day." And it has occasionally approved by resolution of worthy endeavors like Business Appreciation Week and National Public Works Week. (I'm not sure how individual citizens might best celebrate National Public Works Week, or even to say it three times quickly.)

In 1999 we embraced Long Beach Washington as yet another sister city (see box, below), and in 1998 resolved to recognize Women's Equality Day.

But on the whole even these not so serious minded proclamations and resolutions count fewer than 2% of the total. Overwhelmingly, the business of the Council as exhibited in its resolutions is permitting variances to let eating establishments put tables on the sidewalk, paying unusual bills for very mundane things or dealing with issues of development and traffic.

Jeanne Cox, Clerk of the Council, points out that comments are made by councilors, and, during campaigns, by candidates, that are distinctly outside the scope of council power. But these do not get put into printed resolutions.

What do you think about the Council proclaiming and resolving these kinds of issues and events? Please proclaim your thoughts to george@loper.org, where the most representative will be published with full attribution. (Dave Sagarin, February 14, 2002)